


Ready Steady

by NatashaCole



Category: Louden Swain RPF, Supernatural RPF
Genre: Arguing, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Illness, Panic Attacks, Physical Abuse, Stalking, Swearing, Unplanned Pregnancy, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-18 17:31:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 168,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13105092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NatashaCole/pseuds/NatashaCole
Summary: Reader goes on a one-woman vacation to Nashville when her boyfriend doesn’t show up to the airport. While in Nashville, she meets Rob who is in town for a convention. Rob is sweet and charming, everything her ex wasn’t. The reader is a quiet songwriter who is fighting her feelings for Rob.They immediately find that they are much more than just friends; but the Reader is keeping secrets from Rob that could cost her everything. Will her secrets, and eventually; her ex come between them?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I had to heavily re-edit this from my Tumblr so that it would fit within the AO3 guidelines; mostly I had to remove a lot of the songs and lyrics that I used when I originally wrote it. Forgive me, this was the first fic I ever wrote and I didn't really understand the rules. If you've read it on Tumblr, just know it's slightly different here.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader's boyfriend is a jerk; that doesn't stop her from heading out on their planned vacation to Nashville.

You were nervous to say the least. You had spent the last hour checking and rechecking the clock on your phone. There was only 30 minutes before you had to board your flight and he was still not here. Text messages were sent, read, and ignored. Phone calls were sent to voicemail. You sighed heavily as you ran a hand through your hair in defeat. It wasn’t unlike Chris to ignore text messages and phone calls. In fact, you two had been stuck in a seriously uncomfortable rough patch for some time now. You knew you shouldn’t blame yourself for it, after all, he had been the one who had cheated on you. But, he had a way of turning these things around on you to make it all your fault. And you gave in to the blame games every time. Which is why you suggested this vacation. A week in Nashville, just the two of you. You were hoping this would be the getaway that you two needed to fix your relationship.

You checked your phone again. Twenty minutes to boarding. You opened your text messages and pressed on the thread in which you had sent multiple messages to him that had gone unanswered.

_*Y/N* Chris, seriously, it’s almost time to board. Where are you?_

You closed the messages out and put your phone down. What the hell were you supposed to do now? He wasn’t here and it was almost time to board. You contemplated the weight of the situation. You had two tickets. You could leave the airport and go to him, that is, if you could find him. Or perhaps you could just board the plane alone. The latter was seeming like a good idea as you became increasingly nervous and angry. You were startled from your thoughts to your phone vibrating in your hand. Eagerly, you glanced at the screen to find that is was Chris calling. Shaking, you answered the call, even more angry than you had been when you first realized you were being ignored.

“Chris! Where the hell are you? I’m at the airport and I’m here alone!”

“I’m not coming Y/N,” he stated simply. It took you a second to process what he had just said. You expected to feel a bit hurt when this moment came, instead you were angry.

“What do you mean you’re not coming?!” You shouted. You glanced up to see people around you staring disapprovingly. You hunched back over the phone and lowered your voice.

“What do you mean?,” you asked a bit more calmly. “We planned this trip to fix things and now I am here, alone, about to board our flight, and you’re not coming?”

“No, I’m not. I’ve been thinking about it, and I don’t think this is working.”

You rubbed your temple in frustration, trying hard to keep your cool. “Look, this hasn’t been working for some time. Which is why we planned this trip. We just need some time together to fix things. I thought you always wanted to go to Nashville.”

“I do. But not with you Y/N…” He paused and your breath caught in your chest. At this point, you couldn’t tell if you were hurt or extremely angry, or a bit of both. You could feel the tears welling up in your eyes, your face burning hot. You just knew. This wasn’t about him simply being his usual dick self anymore.

“What is going on?” You managed to choke out, the words almost catching in your throat. You could feel yourself about to completely lose it in the middle of the airport. You knew where this was going.

“Y/N, I can’t be with you anymore. I think a part of you knows that.”

“I thought we were fixing this. Us.” The tears were falling now as you hunched over your phone further, hoping that the other people in the airport couldn’t see you losing it right now. Despite your problems in your relationship, you still loved him. You had always loved him. Hell, you had forgiven him for everything he had ever done to you. The cheating, the fighting, the lies. You had always forgiven him, and you thought that by doing so, he could see how much you loved him. In this moment. You knew what was going on. You knew exactly why he was doing this. No effort that you made to be with him and make him happy was actually going to fix this.

“You’re… you’re with her? Aren’t you?” You didn’t want to say those words. Didn’t want to admit to yourself that, although he said he was done with her, he had still been seeing her. You had known deep down that it had never ended between them, even after you confronted him when you found out.

He hesitated for a moment, “You know I am.” You felt your heart break a little more in your chest at the words. The tears came more freely now. You covered your mouth, attempting to hold back the sobbing.

You didn’t know what else to do. All you knew is that you were hurting right now. You were crying in the middle of an airport because of this man, you were angry, and you felt betrayed. “Well, I hope you two are happy together. And I hope you can at least satisfy her better than you could me,” you spat out before ending the call.

You took a moment to compose yourself, steadying your breathing, wiping tears from your face. A voice came over a loudspeaker, announcing the boarding of your flight. You grabbed the tickets from your bag and stared at them for a moment. You had a decision to make. You considered your options. Maybe you could just grab your bags and go home, maybe attempt to talk to Chris and try, yet again, to fix this broken mess of a relationship. Or, maybe you could leave it all behind. Take your ticket, go to Nashville like you had planned, and not look back. A line began to form at the gate; couples, families, passengers who looked like they could be heading somewhere to see loved ones that they hadn’t seen in a long time. You bit your lip, thinking hard about the possible outcomes of each decision you could make right now.

You took in a deep breath, stood up, and grabbed your bags.

Leaving the extra ticket on the seat where you had been sitting, you gripped your own ticket and made your way to the gate.

The fluttering in your stomach indicated that you were nervous as hell about your decision. All you knew is that you needed to distance yourself from Chris as much as you could so that you wouldn’t be tempted to go back to him again. Maybe being halfway across the country is what you needed to move on.

* * *

You struggled with your bags as you pulled them from the back of the cab as you arrived at your hotel. Maybe packing two suitcases, a carry on, and your guitar for this trip hadn’t been the best idea. A bellhop approached you, “would you like some help, miss?” He asked, extending his hand in an attempt to take some of your bags.

“No!” you said quickly, almost rudely,” no, I- I’ve got it, really.” You half smiled at him, feeling bad about having been a bit rude to him. The fact was, you never allowed other people to take your bags for you. you had learned to take care of yourself from a very young age, and always felt a bit awkward accepting help from other. Especially when it had been your own dumb self who packed so many bags. The boy nodded his head, and instead held open the main door to the hotel for you.

You entered the hotel lobby, grateful for the icy chill from the A/C that hit you like a wall when you walked in. April in Nashville wasn’t exactly hot, but you were sweating already from the workout your luggage was giving you. You made your way to the desk to check in, happy to put your bags down just for a moment.

“Hello!” the woman at the desk greeted you, “checking in?”

“Uh, uh yes.” You dug through your bag for your wallet to retrieve your ID and credit card. “It’s under Y/L/N, Y/F/N.” The woman quickly typed in the information into the computer.

“Yes, miss Y/L/N, we have you booked until next Thursday. King sized bed, non-smoking, two people. I just need some ID and a credit card to put in file for incidentals.” She spouted off the information, the making you cringe a bit at the note of two people sharing the room.

“Uh, yeah, sure,” you handed over your cards and she ran the info through. You glanced around you, just now realizing how busy the hotel was for this time of the year. There must be something going on this weekend.

“All set, miss Y/L/N!” The woman said, handing you back your cards and then handing you your room keys and a map of the hotel. She spent a moment directing you to where your room was located. You thanked her and gathered your bags, struggling again with them as you walked away from the front desk. You had maybe taken a few steps when you suddenly heard a voice shouting behind you.

“Miss! Excuse me, miss!” You turned quickly to see if the mystery voice was talking to you. In doing so, you lost your grip on your purse, dropping it and subsequently spilling its contents onto the floor of the lobby.

“Shit!” you muttered out loud. Placing the rest of your bags down, you kneeled down and began retrieving the contents of your purse. Having already forgotten the voice shouting after you, you hurriedly picked up all of the items, focused on the task at hand. Suddenly a set of feet stepped into frame. A pair of beat up old Converse stood before you, and you glanced up to see who it was. You didn’t recognize the man before you, but he looked down at you, a large grin on his face.

“Need some help there?” He asked you just as you had finished putting the last fallen item back into your bag.

“Uh, no, I’m good,” you replied. The man reached his hand out to you. You hesitated for a moment, but eventually took his hand as he helped you up off of the floor. You straightened yourself out and glanced around the floor, making sure you gathered all of your things. When you looked back at the man, he was still grinning at you. He had a nice smile. It was warm and friendly, and you couldn’t help but take immediate notice in those bright blue eyes that were staring right at you. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, you thanked him quietly. He just stood there, staring at you, which made you feel even more awkward. That’s when you noticed that he was holding your guitar case over his shoulder.

“Hey, that’s mine,” you stated, nodding toward the guitar.

“Oh!” his eyes grew wide as he realized he was still holding it, “yeah, you left it at the front desk, that’s why I was calling for you.” He pulled the case off of his shoulder, handing it over to you. You began readjusting the bags you were holding so that you could take the case.

“Uh, are you positive that you don’t need help with all of that?” He asked, still holding the case, as you didn’t have any free hands to take it.

“No, no, really… I’m fine. Just let me readjust some things.” When you had finally got your things back to their original positions, you took the case from the man and thanked him. He smiled bigger and held out his hand again.

You looked down at his hand, this time, not being able to take it. He closed it awkwardly and ran it through his dark curls.

“Oh, sorry, I guess you’ve got your hands full.” He laughed, and you felt your heart skip a bit at the sound of it. He was good-looking and he seemed really sweet.

“My name is Rob, by the way.” He said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

You smiled back at him, “Well, hello Rob, my name is Y/N.” You adjusted your stance, feeling a bit uncomfortable at the weight of your luggage.

“It’s nice to meet you Y/N. Are you sure you don’t need a little help there?” He asked, motioning to your luggage.

“Really, I’m fine. It’s my own stupid fault for packing so much for a one week trip.” You appreciated the offer, but you really didn’t want to take advantage of the kindness of this man that you didn’t even know.

“Well, if you change your mind, I’m really good at carrying luggage. It’s kind of my profession.” You laughed at his words and he smiled a bit bigger. “Well, I’ve got to go check in. Let me know if you change your mind, Y/N.”

Rob began to back away from you and you nodded, “Ok, I’ll let you know.”

You turned toward the direction of your room, finally getting a good grip on your bags. As you made your way to the elevators, you heard Rob shout to you again. You turned around to see what you had left behind this time. He was standing near the front desk with a group of other people that you hadn’t noticed before.

“Y/N! Maybe I’ll see you around some more this weekend. I want to know what kind of guitar you play.” You smiled back at him. You could feel your face growing warm, glad that he couldn’t see the redness forming on your cheeks.

“Yeah, sure,” you called back, “see you around, Rob.”

As you made your way onto the elevator, you pushed the button for your floor. You smiled to yourself thinking about the run-in you had just had with the man in the lobby. You had arrived in Nashville feeling really down. A part of you had thought that maybe coming alone wasn’t the best idea, given the circumstances. But something about meeting Rob had made you feel a lot better about the situation. Maybe this trip is exactly what you needed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader runs into Rob again, and meets Rich.

Once you were inside your room, you dropped most of your bags to the floor, leaving them as you took care to place your guitar on the dresser. You kicked off your boots and flopped face-down onto the bed dramatically. This whole trip had already taken a lot out of you. You were a hot mess from carrying all of your luggage by yourself. You were also slightly jet-lagged from the long flight and you admitted to yourself that you were an overall wreck from the emotional toll that the conversation with Chris had put you through.

You absentmindedly reached your hand out to the empty half of the bed, thinking how nice it would have been to have Chris there with you. This was an awfully big bed for just one person. You quickly shook the thought from your head, opting to take a shower instead of thinking about him anymore.

Your body ached, but the warm shower was soothing. You felt yourself begin to relax now. Once you were done, you quickly dug through your suitcase and pulled out a pair of black skinny jeans and a loose floral top and began to get dressed. You put on a bit of makeup, asking yourself why you were bothering with it at all. You were here alone, you didn’t have anyone to impress anymore. You sighed heavily, looking at yourself in the bathroom mirror. A part of you wondered a lot about her. The woman that Chris had cheated on you with, and ultimately left you to be with. You suddenly felt very inadequate. She must be prettier than you. Something about her obviously caught Chris’ eye, or else he wouldn’t have thrown away a five-year long relationship to be with her. Sure, you two had had so many problems in those five years, but it had still been a solid relationship… or so you thought. Actually, you weren’t even sure how long the cheating had been going on. You frowned at the thought.

“Enough of that,” you said out loud to yourself, “stop thinking about him and just enjoy some time alone.” You applied a bit of lipstick to your lips and put on a pair of flats. Grabbing your purse, you headed for the door.

You needed a distraction. Mostly, you needed to find a bar in this hotel where you could drown your sorrows.

You sat at the bar, immediately ordering a beer. You closed your eyes as you enjoyed that first sip of the cold drink. It had been a while since you had had a nice cold beer.

You sat by yourself for some time, drinking, occasionally checking your phone. For what exactly? Perhaps you subconsciously wanted Chris to change his mind and contact you. You glanced up when you heard a group of women enter the bar, talking excitedly amongst themselves. They say at a table, laughing and chatting. You looked around, again, realizing just how busy this place was.

You turned to the bartender, “excuse me?” you said to him. He glanced up at you.

“Ready for another?” he asked.

You held up your half-full beer, “no, I was just wondering… is there something going on at this hotel this weekend? An event or something?”

“Oh, yeah, some convention for a TV show. They hold them here every year. It’s kind of a big deal I guess.” He shrugged his shoulders, continuing preparing a drink for another customer.

“Oh,” you replied, “what show?”

“Something called _Supernatural_.”

“Hmm… I’ve heard of it. Never really watched it though.”

“Me neither,” the bartender said, “not really my thing. But they do these every year here and it draws quite the crowd. You’ll see all kinds of fans wandering around. Lots of costumes and shirts with satanic symbols on them.”

Your eyes widened at the last statement, “wow, that’s interesting…”

The man laughed, “it’s cool though, super nice fans. Super nice actors too.”

He turned from you, delivering the drink to someone at the end of the bar. You could still hear the group of women chattering behind you at the table. You smiled as you took a drink of your beer. You got it. The fandom thing anyway. While you weren’t into things like television shows, you were definitely a music fan. Which was a big reason you ended up picking Nashville as your vacation spot. You thought that your shared love of music with Chris would play a role in fixing things between you. He had always wanted to visit Nashville, and you were excited to take him to one of your favorite cities. Now, you wondered if you could still be content in this city on your own.

When you had had your fill of drinking, you paid the bartender, leaving a tip as you collected your things. You were exhausted, the beer making you feel more relaxed and ready for sleep. You glanced at your phone to check the time, realizing it was still early.

“Well, hello stranger,” a familiar voice came from behind you. You spun around, greeted by those bright blue eyes that you had met earlier in the lobby. You couldn’t help the grin that crossed your face in seeing Rob again.

“Hey… Rob,” was all you could manage to say. In your frantic state earlier, you hadn’t had the chance to really notice just how good-looking this man was. He was dressed casually in a pair of jeans, a light blue button up shirt (which really brought out his eyes, you noticed), and the same pair of old Converse that you had first seen when you dropped your purse on the floor. He was smiling brightly, his eyes forming lines in the corners that you found to be really endearing.

“Did you make it to your room with all of your belongings intact?” He now moved towards the bar, motioning to the bartender.

“Uh, uh, yeah. I-I did actually.” You stuttered out. Something about this man made it extremely hard to for coherent sentences. “Thank you. I don’t even think I actually thanked you earlier for returning my guitar to me.”

“No problem. A guitar is certainly not something anyone wants to leave behind.” The bartender was now standing in front of the two of you, waiting for Rob’s order. Rob looked over to you, raising an eyebrow and pointing to the bartender, silently asking if you wanted a drink.

You hesitated, wondering if it was a good idea to have a drink with this man. He waited for your answer until you finally shrugged your shoulders, “sure, I’ll have a drink.”

He ordered two beers and you returned to your seat at the bar, Rob sitting next to you.

“So, Y/N,” he began. Your heart raced when you realized that he actually remembered your name. “what brings you to Nashville? You here for the convention?” he asked as he took a drink of his beer.

“Oh, no. I heard about it just now though. Not really my thing. I guess it’s for some TV show that I certainly don’t watch.” You noticed Rob’s lips turn up into a smirk.

“So, why are you here then?”

“Uh, I’m just on a short vacation.” You lied slightly, not about to spill your life story to this stranger. He looked at you questioningly. You could tell he was curious as to why you were here alone on vacation.

“What brings you here?” You asked curiously, attempting to shift the conversation from you.

“I’m meeting someone here soon,” he glanced around the bar, stopping for a moment with his eyes on the table of women who were still sitting behind us. He shifted his gaze back to the bar a bit, lowering his head when he noticed them. It was almost as if he didn’t want to be seen by them.

You frowned a bit, realizing that a good-looking guy like this was probably meeting his girlfriend or wife. Obviously, he couldn’t be single. You shook your head at yourself, wondering why you were even thinking about that in the first place. You had just been dumped and here you were thinking about how cute and nice this guy was.

Rob began to look a bit nervous, carefully glancing around the bar again. “Can you excuse me for a second?” he asked, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “I just need to make a call.”

“Sure,” you said, expecting him to walk away to make the call. Instead, he stayed in his seat, thumbed through his phone until he found the number he was looking for.

“Hey, Rich, where the hell are you man?” He asked when the person on the other end of the phone answered. You couldn’t hear the conversation on the other end, but you assumed it wasn’t going well when Rob suddenly got very antsy and panicked. “What do you mean? I’m at the bar, right where you said we were meeting.” He pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose, obviously annoyed. “Am I in the wrong place? Shit!” He stood up quickly and scanned the bar again. The man on the other end must have said something to upset him, because now Rob sat back in his seat, looking increasingly annoyed. “You know, you’re an a-hole Rich. Fine. See you in a bit.” Rob ended the call, shaking his head. He looked back at you.

“You okay?” you asked.

“Yeah, my friend, Rich… he likes to fuck with me.” This time, Rob chuckled lightly, taking another drink of his beer. “He always does this to me. He’s always late, so he makes me think that I am in the wrong place. I fall for it every time.”

You laughed and Rob smiled at that. He nervously picked at the label on his beer bottle, “I wanted to know what kind of guitar you play. You know, the one that I rescued for you.”

“Oh, yeah. It’s nothing really. Just some nameless brand acoustic that my grandpa bought for me from a pawn shop when I was a kid. Nothing special. Although, I suppose I keep it for its sentimental value.” You sort of cringed at your explanation. You hadn’t meant to share so much with this man.

“That’s nice. The old, sentimental guitars always sound the best.”

“Hmm…” you hummed, sipping on your beer. “You didn’t really answer my question though.”

Rob looked at you curiously. “What do you mean?”

“I asked why you were here. You just said you were meeting someone at the bar. But that doesn’t answer the question of why you’re in Nashville.”

“Ah,” Rob chuckled, looking down at his beer. “I’m actually here for the convention.” His eyes found yours again. You choked on your beer at his answer.

Wiping your mouth, you laughed, “wait, so you’re like, a fanboy or something?”

“Or something,” he stated.

You waited for an explanation, eyebrow raised.

“Okay, fine,” he threw his hands up in mock defeat. “I’m an actor. I happen to be on the show occasionally. We do these conventions all around the states.”

Your stomach did a flip. Shit. You were sitting here with an actor from a show that you had never even seen. An actor that you didn’t even know. You suddenly felt very uncomfortable, wondering if you had insulted him by not knowing who he was.

“I’m sorry,” you stated, “I didn’t realize…”

Rob laughed again, “no, it’s fine. Really. It’s sort of nice to meet someone who doesn’t know who you are. Especially at a place like this. Casual conversation feels so much more real when I talk to someone who has no idea who I am.”

You opened your mouth to speak, but before you could get a word out, a loud voice shouted from behind you.

“Bob-o! There you are!” You and Rob turned in sync to greet the man behind you. Rob frowned, standing to greet his friend.

“You’re late,” he stated, glancing at his watch, “Like, really late.”

“Aw come on, buddy. I’m always late. You should be used to it by now.” Rich then turned his attention to you which caused you to feel awkward again.

“And who is this lovely lady that you somehow managed to convince to sit next to you?” Rich asked, eyes not leaving you. You could feel your face turning red.

“This is Y/N. We met earlier in the lobby.” Rob answered.

“Oh, yeah,” Rich’s eyes widened at the realization. “This is the hot mess that was checking in before us.”

You felt the red on your face deepen at the fact that he just referred to you as a ‘hot mess’. It wasn’t a lie. You had certainly been a mess when Rob approached you.

“Hey!” Rob looked at Rich disapprovingly. “That’s not a nice thing to say to a lady.”

“It’s fine,” you interjected, “I really was a hot mess earlier.”

“Well, you’re not now,” Rich said, eyes scanning you, “in fact, you’re a lot less mess at this moment, and a lot more hot.”

You were certain your face was now the brightest shade of red that it could get. What was happening right now?

Rob rolled his eyes, “ignore him. He has no filter.”

Rich smirked, “I certainly don’t. But honestly,” he said turning back to you, “I didn’t mean to insult you.”

You half-smiled at him, not really feeling insulted, but still feeling very uncomfortable.

Suddenly, the group of women at the table in the bar that you had forgotten about were beginning to congregate around the three of you. Could this get any more awkward? The women looked very excited and began asking the men if it was okay to take pictures. Rob leaned in toward you, “Sorry, I hope you don’t mind.”

You shook your head quickly, “why would I mind? Apparently the two of you have fans?”

He chuckled, “yeah, it only happens during convention weekends.” Rob placed his hand gently on your arm, “Give me a minute, I’d like to continue our conversation, that is, if you’re still interested in talking to me.” His eyes shifted down, looking nervous.

“No, that’s fine. Do your thing. I’ll just grab a few drinks.”

You turned back toward the bar, ordering three beers. You began to drink your own as your eyes made their way to the scene behind you. These women seemed very excited to get selfies with these two men. You realized that they must both be actors on the show. Rob and Rich smiled enthusiastically for each photo, chatting casually with the fans. You smiled at how polite they were being to these women. They both seem really nice. Both men were fairly short, both bearded, and both very attractive. You couldn’t help but keep your focus on Rob though. There was definitely something intriguing about this man. Something about him drew you in. Normally, you weren’t one for small talk with strange men. And although the conversation between the two of you had been slightly awkward, you actually felt comfortable talking to him. Your mind drifted to Chris. This is how he had been in the beginning. Cute, polite, and friendly. You felt a pang in your chest just thinking about him. You couldn’t help but wonder where he was and what he was doing. When you thought about the idea of him with that other woman, you felt a bit sick. Why were you doing this to yourself? The whole point of you going to Nashville alone was for you to be on your own for once. This was supposed to help you forget about Chris. You forced the thought of Chris from your mind, returning your attention back to the two men.

When they were done indulging the fans, both men returned to the bar, thanking you for having ordered their drinks.

The conversation continued, this time with Rich joining in. The three of you eventually made your way to a table so that you could converse more comfortably, ordering another round of drinks. Rich was asking you many of the same questions that Rob had already asked, but you responded politely.

“Where are you from, Y/N?” Rich asked.

“Oh, Well, I’m actually from here,” you replied.

Rich looked amused, “Ah, I thought I caught a hint of some southern drawl in your voice. Not a lot, but it’s there.”  
“Yeah, I was born here actually. But my family moved when I was pretty young. I tend to pick Nashville as my vacation spot because I love it so much.”

“Do you want to know how I knew you were from here?” Rich asked, motioning toward you with his beer bottle. Before you could reply, he answered anyway, “I knew because I’m a Nashville native myself.” He shot you a wink.

“Oh,” you didn’t really know what was going on. But it sort of felt like Rich was hitting on you. You glanced at Rob who had been sitting there rather quietly for some time while Rich engaged you in conversation. Rob looked bored and unamused.

“Hey Rob?” you asked, gaining his attention as he looked up at you. Those blue eyes were something else. Especially when they were looking right at you so eagerly. “Where are you from?” You really wanted to bring him back into the conversation. Rich was very nice and all, but a bigger part of you really wanted to get to know Rob more. You felt bad at the fact that he had been sitting there so quietly while his friend took over the conversation.

“Um, I’m from Missouri, but I live in L.A.”

“Really?” you asked a bit too excitedly, “I live in L.A.!”

Rob seemed to perk up at that. “That’s awesome! Small world, huh? I mean we both live in L.A. and just run into each other in Nashville of all places.”

Rich sat back, arms crossed, a bit annoyed at being dropped from the conversation, “Well, you two have so much in common,” he said with a huff.

“Uh, I was just stating that we both just live in the same city, Rich.” Rob replied.

“Yeah, and you’re both musicians. Right, Y/N?” Rich asked, waiting for your answer.

“Oh well, I play guitar and sing sometimes… but not really a musician.” You paused for a moment, “wait,” you said, turning back to Rob, “I thought you were an actor.”

“I-I am and actor. But, I also kinda have a band.”

“His band is kind of a big deal around the convention circuit,” Rich said matter-of-factly. “They actually play all weekend during the cons, and they do this big concert of Saturday nights.”

You looked at Rob in awe. Not only is he cute, but apparently, he’s very talented too.

“Wow, that’s really cool,” you really wanted to know more so you asked him more about this band that he was in. He seemed really excited to talk about his music. You made a mental note to look up his band on your phone later so you could check them out.

The conversation shifted between you and Rob discussing music, Rich occasionally joining in. You learned that Rich was also a musician of sorts. You talked about the conventions, and while it all sounded really cool, you wondered what show could possibly be so great that it would require multiple conventions around the country. You tried wrapping your mind around what would draw people to spend money to sit through panels and autographs and photo ops. It was something foreign to you. The closest you have ever been to ‘fandom’ would be buying concert tickets and spending a few days at country music festivals. Rob must have been reading your mind, because he asked you if you had ever been to any kind of fan convention.

You shook your head ‘no’ in response as you drank from your beer. “Not really my thing,” you reiterated.

“Well, if you ever want to experience one, we’ve got connections,” Rich replied. At this point, you had had quite a few drinks. Your head was buzzing and you began to feel the familiar numbness in your face that always happened when you had had too much to drink. You weren’t positive, but you thought Rich might have been hitting on you all night. You felt a bit bad at how much that seemed to bother Rob. It was nothing though. You barely knew these men. Sure, you thought Rob was really cute, but you were just being friendly and so was he. It was nice to have someone to talk to after what you had been through. For some reason, Rich’s offer stuck with you. It all sounded nice. A part of you was really curious as to what these conventions were. And honestly, you were even more curious as to what it was that they, Rob especially, did during these things.

You thought about it, “You know,” you said, running a hand across your face, “I am pretty curious.”

You noticed Rob’s face light up with a smile.

“Hey, we’ll get you in then,” Rich offered. “It starts tomorrow morning around 11.”

You pulled out your phone, just now being reminded of the concept of time. Dang, it was late and you were drunk.

“Sounds good,” you responded as you began to gather your things, “But, I need to go to bed. It’s late, I’m jet-lagged, and I really didn’t mean to take up your time.”

You stood up, just now realizing that you had had way too much to drink. You swayed a bit, steadying yourself with your hand on the table. Rob stood up, reaching for your arm, which he held gently, a look of concern crossing his face. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“Oh, I’m fine. I just didn’t realize I drank that much tonight,” you replied, now feeling the dizziness subside.

Rob didn’t let go of your arm.

“I’m fine, really,” you assured him. “That’s what I get for drinking while sleep-deprived.”

“Do you need help back to your room?” Rich asked casually. Rob shot him a look at this.

You blushed for the hundredth time that night at this man’s questions and comments. “No, I’ll be okay.” You said as you slung your purse over your shoulder.

You thanked the two for the conversation and the company and you turned to leave the bar.

“Y/N! Wait!” you turned back to Rich who was calling to you.

_“Jesus,”_ you thought to yourself, _“what did I forget this time?”_

Instead, Rich was holding out a napkin from the table toward you. “Here, this is Rob’s number. You know, if you decide to join us at the convention tomorrow, you need someone to get you set up since you don’t have a ticket and all.”

“Oh, of course. Thank you,” you cautiously reached for the napkin, eyeing Rob, checking to see if it was okay that his friend was handing out his phone number. Rob simply smiled and nodded his head, giving you the okay to take the napkin. You pocketed the napkin and said goodbye to the two men.

“See you around, Y/N.” Rob called after you as you exited the bar. You glanced back at him, feeling your stomach flip a little at his smile.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader experiences her first day of a Supernatural convention. She spends more time with Rob.

You woke the next morning to your alarm. You groaned and reached for your phone. Ugh. 9:00 am. It was late in the morning, but truthfully, you could have slept longer. Normally, while on vacation, you wouldn’t set an alarm. But, the offer from Rob and Rich the night before to have you check out the convention was something you couldn’t pass up. You really wanted to know what the big deal was.

You sat up, taking in your surroundings, surprised that you didn’t feel hungover. You reached to the nightstand for the crumpled-up napkin that Rich had given to you last night, carefully unfolding it to read the message, half expecting it to be blank. After all, you had just met these men. They didn’t know you, and they could very easily have been messing with you. You felt relief when you saw the phone number scrawled across the napkin, the name ‘Rob Benedict’ greeting you just below it. You smiled to yourself, remembering the nice conversation you had had with him at the bar. You couldn’t help but recall those gorgeous eyes that you had been able to stare into a few times.

You opened a new text message, entering the number into the contact line. You wondered if he would even remember you or remember that his friend had given you his number. The three of you had spent the whole night drinking together, maybe he wouldn’t have any recollection of you. You hesitated for a moment before entering a message.

Y/N: “Hey Rob, it’s Y/N, the hot mess from the lobby. Wondering if the offer was still good for the convention.” You checked and double checked the message, not wanting to seem too forward. You sent the message after a few moments, suddenly really nervous.

Instead of waiting by the phone for a reply, you opted to jump in the shower and begin getting ready for your day. You showered quickly, and when you exited the bathroom, you couldn’t help but check your phone.

There was a reply from Rob. You felt the butterflies again as you realized that he had actually replied to you.

Rob: “Hey! Of course the offer still stands. Come down to registration around 10 to get checked in. I already gave them your name and there’s a pass waiting there for you.”

You smiled to yourself, realizing that he not only remembered you, but he already assumed you were going to show up.

Y/N: “Thanks! See you soon.”

Rob: “I’ll be really busy, you know, working. But I’ll see you around. Enjoy the convention!”

Realizing that it was already 9:30, you dressed quickly and went to work on your hair and makeup. When you were done, you grabbed your bag and your room key, glancing around the room to make sure you hadn’t forgotten anything. When you decided you had everything you needed, you inhaled deeply closing the door and making your way to the convention area.

The convention area was busy. All around you, there were women; young and old… occasionally a man and sometimes young children. People of all ages. You glanced around, searching for the registration desk. When you finally spotted it, you made your way over, getting in line behind two younger girls who were talking excitedly to each other. They were going on and on about some dudes named Jared and Jensen. You laughed to yourself, sort of intrigued at the excited energy of everyone surrounding you. the line moved and you found yourself standing in front of a woman in a Volunteer shirt.

“Do you have your PDF’s?” she asked.

“Uh, no,” you said, “my friend said he was leaving a pass here for me.”

“Name?” You gave the woman your name and she studied her clipboard for a moment, until she glanced up at you with an amused look on her face. “Hmm… do you have some ID?”

“Sure,” you fumbled through your purse until you found your wallet, retrieving your ID and handing it to her. She eyed if for a moment and returned it to you.

“You know, it’s not every day that Rob personally leaves a pass here for someone.” She was digging through a box of lanyards until she found what she was looking for. “Oh, look at that, he even got you Gold, really good seat too…”

“What does that mean?” you asked, “I-I’ve never been to one of these things.”

The woman smiled and handed you the lanyard. “This up here,” she said pointing at the pass, “shows you your row and your seat number. The chairs are all labeled in the room, you just gotta find your seat and it’s yours all weekend.” She handed you a booklet next, “this is the program. It’s just the schedule of all of the events and panels. Nothing starts until around 11. But the theater opens soon.”

You thanked her, moving away from the desk, stopping in the middle of the hallway to place the pass around your neck. You felt a bit overwhelmed at the business of it all. You checked your pass, Row B; Seat 32. Not really knowing where you were supposed to go, you figured you’d just go where everyone else was going. You followed a crowd of people into one of the convention rooms, pausing at the entrance that led into a large room filled with seats that were slowly being filled. There was a stage at the back of the room, band equipment set up and microphones lining the front. You made your way to the row you were supposed to be at, impressed that Rob had gotten you so close to the stage. When you found your seat, you realized that you were really close, almost right in the middle. You sat nervously, taking it all in. You opened the program, deciding that it would be good to familiarize yourself with the schedule. You took mental notes at the times when you saw Rob’s name throughout the day. Apparently, Rob and Rich were on stage quite a bit throughout the day. You didn’t recognize any of the names of other actors doing panels for the day, but you decided to sit through it anyway, at least for the day. There were lots of photo ops and autographs listed, and you wondered what you would do with all that time in between these events.

You glanced at your phone to check the time. It was almost 11. You recalled that the schedule listed and actor doing a panel around that time and just before the panel, Rob and Rich would be on stage to do a “Welcome” for the day. You sat back in your chair, people quickly filling in most of the seats around you. you felt really out of place with all of these people who were clearly excited to be here. You were not a fan, maybe you could be, but you had never even watched the show.

Just as you were getting lost in thought, you noticed three men begin to take the stage. You straightened up, scanning the stage for Rob. You sort of scolded yourself at that. There was no reason you should be excited to see the man, and you weren’t sure what it was that made you want to immediately look for him in the crowd. You noticed that none of the men were in fact, Rob. They made their way to the instruments at the side of the stage; one taking his place behind the drums, another grabbing a guitar, and the last one picking up a bass guitar. You smiled to yourself realizing that this was Rob’s band, the one that he had been so excited to talk about with you. They did a bit of sound check quickly before moving right into a song that you didn’t recognize. Before you knew it, there he was… Rob had joined the band on stage, grabbing his guitar, and taking his place at the microphone.

The band played and you were beginning to kick yourself a little bit for not having listened to any of their music this morning when you had the chance. You didn’t know the song, but you enjoyed it. Your eyes didn’t leave Rob for a second. He seemed pretty confident up there, and listening to his voice brought a huge smile to your face. Damn! He was really good!

When the song ended, the band was joined by Rich. He immediately went into some long monologue about “Friday People” and how awesome they were. The crowd cheering loudly. He and Rob exchanged some lines, telling jokes, and generally being sort of inappropriate in their banter. You looked around at all of the happy fans, laughing hard at all of their jokes. This must be something they do, not out of the ordinary.

And so it went… Rob and Rich eventually welcomed another actor to the stage and they and the band exited. You sat through the panel, feeling a bit bored, as you didn’t know who he was or what anyone was talking about.

When the panel ended almost an hour later, you were starving. You looked at the program again, realizing that you had a couple of hours to spare. Most of the next two hours looked to be filled with photo-ops, meet and greets, and autographs. Of course, none of that really interested you. So you decided to wander and take in more of the convention.

As you grabbed your purse, you felt your phone vibrate in your pocket. You quickly retrieved it; smiling when you noticed a text message from Rob.

Rob: “Are you around?”

Y/N: “Yes, I was sitting pretty darn close through the whole thing.”

Rob: “Oh, yeah. Perks of being on the show. I get my friends great seats.”

It felt nice, Rob referring to you as his friend. God knows you could really use a friend at this time.

Y/N: “That was fun, your band is really good.”

Rob: “Thanks, the daytime stuff is okay. Saturday night is the one you really don’t want to miss.”

Rob: “Are you busy?”

Y/N: “Nope. Just trying to decide what to do with my free 2 hours.”

Rob: “Meet me in the vendor room. The band is doing some autographs.”

Y/N: “Sure.”

You pocketed your phone, feeling that familiar flip of your stomach that you keep getting from this man. What was that anyway? He was just a good-looking man who happened to be really nice to you. You only knew that you genuinely enjoyed his company and you liked talking to him. You hardly knew him, so you told yourself that the weird feelings were simply from the fact that he was cute, and it had been a long time since a cute man had shown you any interest.

You made your way from the theater, glancing around the hallway once you exited. This place was busy. There were people lined up along walls outside of rooms that you didn’t know what they were used for. You just knew you needed to find the vendor room. Instead of attempting the hunt on your own, you approached a man in a Volunteer shirt and asked for directions. He pointed you down another hallway, “straight down, you’ll see the doors on your right.” You thanked him and began to walk. The closer you got to the vendor room, the more anxious you felt.

You walked into the packed space and began to wander. There were tables and booths everywhere, filling the entire room. Tables filled with t-shirts, jewelry, strange looking weapon replicas, artwork, books, and photos of who you assumed were actors from the show. You strolled through casually until you noticed some tables near the wall where, sure enough, Rob was sitting with the band. You made your way over and noticed a rather long line at the table. People waited anxiously as the front of the line moved steadily. Fans handed each of the band members items for them to autograph and the men chatted politely with them. It was hard to see from where you were, so you moved closer until you could get a better view of Rob. You melted at that smile that he kept across his face as he greeted the fans.

You caught yourself staring and forced yourself to look away for a moment. “Don’t do this,” you thought to yourself. “It is way too soon to develop a crush on someone new, especially on a man you only met yesterday.” You waited in the same spot for some time, feeling out of place as the line shortened. Glancing back to Rob, he looked up at the same moment. His smile widened when he spotted you. he waved enthusiastically and you wave back as he held up a finger, signaling you to wait a minute.

When the last of the fans were gone, the men stood up, and you saw some volunteers begin to usher them away from the tables. Rob waved for you to come join him, and you made your way over to him as they all began to walk from the room.

“Hey! How are you!” He greeted you, placing his hand on your shoulder.

“I-I’m good. Kinda tired from standing over there for so long.” You said, motioning to the area where you had been waiting.

Rob frowned, “Oh… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you wait.” He rubbed his hand on the back of his neck.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I didn’t have to wait. I just… I just wanted to I guess.” You assured him.

“Well, thanks for waiting. Sorry that took so long.”

“Yeah, you guys have quite the following, huh?”

“Well, around the conventions, we do.” He laughed.

“You guys were really good today. Your band, I mean.”

“So, the rest was kinda boring?” He scrunched up his face a bit.

“No! Not at all!” you assured him, feeling bad that you might have insulted him. “You and Rich… you two are something else.”

He laughed again, “Oh, yeah. I probably should have warned you that it’s sometimes a tad racy up there.”

“You two are funny. You should probably have your own comedy show,” you joked, gently elbowing him.

Rob looked at you amused. “Well, actually…” he trailed off.

You raised an eye to Rob, “so you’re telling me that you also have another show?”

“Yeah, just something we’ve done one season of. Nothing fancy.”

God, was there anything that this man couldn’t do?

“Where are we walking to?” you asked when you noticed that you were still walking alongside the band and their handlers.

“We’re just headed to the greenroom for some downtime. You’re welcome to join us if you’d like.”

You were a little unsure. You didn’t know why Rob was being so kind to you, and you certainly didn’t understand why he was so keen to involve you in the goings on of this convention that he knew you had no knowledge of. Instead of making up an excuse to leave, you nodded and continued to follow him.

Once inside the “greenroom”, you noticed that it was actually just another convention room. A large space lined with tables, a few people hanging out. You stood in one spot awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

“This is the greenroom,” Rob gestured dramatically to the space. You looked around again, nodding in approval.

“And, hey! This is the band. Let me introduce you.” Rob proceeded to introduce you to Billy, Mike, and Stephen. You shook each of their hands as Rob introduced you as well, “band, this is my new friend, Y/N.”

“Oh yeah, you’re the girl from the lobby yesterday,” said Billy.

You felt your face flush again, knowing how all of these men knew you. “Yeah, yeah… the hot mess from the lobby,” you joked throwing your hands up.

Billy looked embarrassed, “No! I wasn’t gonna say that!”

Just then, you felt hands clasp against the back of your shoulders. You let out a startled yelp as a voice came from behind you, “hey! That’s my line Billy!”

You turned, feeling a bit relieved when you saw Rich standing there. He let one of his hands linger on your shoulder as he continued talking, “and just for the record, she admits she was a mess at the time, but when I saw her again last night she was looking pretty damn good.” He glanced at you and winked.

The other men gave looks, which you could only interpret as them being impressed by this revelation. You covered your face in embarrassment, about to speak out against the notion, when Rob came to your defense.

“You mean, when WE,” he said, motioning between him and Rich,” had drinks with her at the bar?”

“Oh yeah, you were there, weren’t you?” Rich smirked.

Rob rolled his eyes, reaching for your hand, which you gladly took. As he led you away from Rich, Rich pouted, “you can’t keep our new friend all to yourself, you know!” he shouted after Rob.

Rob led you over to one of the tables that was set up with snacks and drinks, “would you like something?”

“Oh, sure. I’ll take a water,” Rob handed you a bottled water, which you drank nervously.

“Sorry about Rich. He’s a nice guy, maybe a little too nice.”

You shook your head, “no, it’s fine. I’m just not really used to that type of attention I guess.”

“Well get used to it, once he finds someone to flirt with, it doesn’t end.” You couldn’t help but feel a bit amused by Rob’s statement. Not the fact that Rich would continue to flirt with you, but the fact that Rob had told you to get used to it. In your mind, that meant that you might be hanging out with these guys more.

The two of you walked over to a couch, Rob gesturing for you to sit. You did so and he sat next to you. You both sat for a moment, not talking. Your mind began to race with thoughts of what THIS was. Why was this man going out of his way to see you? You were nothing special, just a ditz who left guitars lying around hotel lobbies for strangers to find. Why hadn’t he just returned the guitar, accepted your thanks, and moved along with his weekend?

Rob broke the awkward silence after a couple of minutes, “you gonna stick around for the rest of the day?” he asked.

“Uh, I don’t know,” you replied honestly, “it was fun, but I’m really lost on the whole thing. I don’t know what anyone is talking about up there, and I’ve never even heard your band before…” you began to ramble on.

Rob placed a reassuring hand on your knee, “it’s fine,” he smiled, “I get it, it’s not your thing.”

“I just- I just feel bad. You went out of your way to get me a pass.”

“Well, I feel pretty bad too,” Rob said, “I mean, I barely know you and I talked you into coming to this convention for something that you don’t even had any knowledge of. I mean, you’re on vacation, right?”

You nodded, suddenly remembering that it was supposed to be your vacation. In fact, it was supposed to be a solo vacation in which you meant to focus on writing songs and visiting some of the sights around Nashville. The whole point was to take the week to get the thoughts of Chris out of your head, to figure out a way to fix whatever it was that was broken in you. You didn’t know any other way of getting these feelings out apart from writing songs, but you had found yourself thinking less about Chris the more that you hung out with Rob.

“Oh jeez,” Rob sighed, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to pull you away from whatever you were doing here.”

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, it’s not your fault Rob,” you felt bad again knowing that he was feeling bad. “It was actually your friend Rich who invited me.”

“I guess you’re right,” Rob laughed.

“I really don’t mind hanging out at this thing,” you promised, “it’s kind of confusing to me, but I’ve honestly been enjoying it.”

“I don’t expect you to do that,” you noticed that Rob had only just then removed his hand from your knee. He picked up his water bottle and began nervously picking at the label, a motion that you had noticed him do last night at the bar. He looked back up at you after a moment. “Look, if anything else, I think it’d be really cool if you came to karaoke tonight.”

You looked at him bemused, “Wait, there’s karaoke at this thing?”

“Y-yeah, we dress up like idiots and get on stage with fans and sing karaoke.” You couldn’t help but giggle a bit. It was actually really sweet. You didn’t know many actors, but it sounded like these guys really put in an effort when it came to entertaining and connecting with their fans. Rob looked at you, eagerly awaiting your answer.

“I’ll think about it. Maybe as long as you don’t make me sing!” you pointed a finger at him.

Rob put his hands up, “no, no… I’m not gonna make you do that. Although, you’d probably be pretty good at it.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Well, you own a guitar… and you’re from Nashville, right?” he questioned.

“And?”

“I just assumed that you’re probably a singer too.”

You found yourself leaning in a bit closer to him, “I might write songs. Songs that I sing in the privacy of my own home.”

He lit up at that, “I write the songs for my band as well.”

“Of course you do,” you really weren’t surprised by his statement. In fact, by this point, anything that you learned about Rob no longer surprised you. Obviously, he was talented. He seemed to have a lot going on. “Actor, comedian, singer, songwriter, guitarist…” you listed of his impressive resume out loud, “is there anything you can’t do?” Rob cleared his throat nervously, taking a drink of his water.

“I’ve been told that I’m really bad at flirting,” he said quietly.

“What?” you asked, feeling your stomach flip.

“I-In general I mean. Everyone… Rich mostly, tells me that I’m bad at flirting. Not that I’m flirting. I just- I just meant in general… that’s something I’m not good at.” He was getting flustered, and you had to admit, he was really cute when he was flustered. You had to wonder if this was a general statement, or if he had actually been trying to flirt with you this whole time. You told yourself not to get too excited over the possibility of Rob flirting with you. This was probably just an awkward confession that didn’t really fit into the conversation. He seemed like a slightly awkward guy to begin with. He often went from being a talkative and friendly man to stuttering mess rather quickly.

He was picking at the label on the water bottle again, his cheeks red from embarrassment.

“Well, I will tell you this,” you said, “if you ever want to get better at flirting, don’t take too many tips from your friend, Rich.” He looked up at you and smiled.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said.

You suddenly felt that this was your cue to leave. The conversation had been nice again, but you really didn’t feel that you belonged here.

“I think I’m gonna head out, is that okay?”

Rob gave you a nod, “it’s fine, go enjoy your vacation.”

He stood up as you did. You felt flattered by the gesture. Men nowadays just didn’t have those old southern manners anymore. He walked with you to the door and you stopped to face him. “I really did have a good time.”

“Good, I still hope you’ll think about karaoke tonight.” He brought his hand up and tapped the badge on your lanyard. “This will get you into karaoke… and the concert tomorrow night if you’re still interested.”

“I think… I will say yes to the concert, and I’ll think about karaoke.” Rob’s hand lingered on the badge as he looked up at you. You stared into his eyes for a moment, feeling sort of lost. A part of you really liked this guy, but you couldn’t push away the nagging feeling of all of this being too much for you right now. You wanted to stay. You wanted to spend more time with him. Hell, you sort of wanted to stay through the whole convention, sitting in that chair, listening to the discussions that you didn’t understand; just so that you might continue to catch glimpses of Rob throughout the day. That was the part that scared you. You had no problem with making new friends, and Rob seemed like he could be a great friend. But, some of the feelings you had every time you’d see him really freaked you out. Maybe it’s better if you just checked out the concert; you know, since you were a music lover and all; and take a pass on spending too much time bothering the man.

“Okay, I’ll accept that.” He said, finally letting go of the lanyard around your neck.

You thanked him again and turned to walk out the door. You thought about the last two times you had to walk away from this man. The moment in the lobby and last night when you left the bar. Even as you turned your back to him, he called out to you both times, reminding you that he would see you around. You left this time, a part of you waiting for that moment to come. You hoped that he might call out to you again as you left, saying that he’d see you later. Something about it felt right. You had gotten pretty far down the busy hallway, lost in your thoughts, when you stopped to turn around… just to see. You frowned a bit when you realized that he hadn’t followed you out of the room. He wasn’t going to remind you that he’d see you again.

Feeling a bit defeated, you turned and continued walking away from the chaos of the convention. You had no big plans. Right now, you really just needed to get to your guitar.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader attends karaoke and finally meets some of Rob’s friends. Some important information is shared with her, but how will she react? Honestly, the reader is a bit frustrating… why can’t she stop freaking out?!

You searched through your carry on once you got back to your room. Once you found your notebook, you tossed it onto the bed and grabbed your guitar from the case on the dresser, finding your pick and placing it between your teeth. You sat on the bed, guitar in hand, and situated yourself in the middle until you were comfortable. Thumbing through the pages of your notebook that you had nearly filled during your flight to Nashville, you stopped when you found what you were really looking for. You took the pick from your mouth and began to tune your guitar, the old thing still sounding as sweet as the day your grandpa brought her home to you.

When you were satisfied, you began to strum, playing the tune that you had playing in your head since you arrived in Nashville. You found your rhythm, and began to softly sing the lyrics that you had written on the page.

You hummed the melody, thinking hard about the words that would come next. Sometimes, the songs didn’t finish themselves until you had finally found the music for them to go with.

Some time had passed, you working tirelessly over the same song; perfecting the tune and the lyrics. When your hands began to ache, you put your guitar down and stretched, realizing that you must have been in sitting in the same position for a while. You looked at your phone and saw that you had spent most of the afternoon playing and writing. You let out a yawn and your stomach grumbled, the granola bar that you had picked up from the hotel gift shop after leaving the convention hadn’t kept you full obviously. You decided that you needed real food. You often did this. Most times that you got into songwriting mode, you forgot to eat or drink… sometimes sleep. You figured you’d make your way to the bathroom to freshen up before venturing out for sustenance, you could feel your eyes still burning from the tears that you had allowed yourself to cry as you sang the song. You were sure your face was puffy and red, and you weren’t about to let anyone see you like that. You threw your feet over the side of the bed and was about to stand up when your eye caught the convention program on the nightstand next to the bed. You bit your lip and hesitantly picked it up, thumbing through until you found the events for the day. You must not have been paying much attention earlier when you looked through it, because right there, at the end of the day’s list of events, was the announcement for karaoke. You smiled to yourself, remembering Rob’s insistence on you attending. 

You hadn’t thought of him in the past few hours you had been working. The only thing you had been thinking of was how much the ache in your chest had grown. You had gotten pretty good at pretending to be strong over the years, and you very rarely allowed anyone to see you emotional. In fact, that’s a big reason you stuck to songwriting. You could be as emotional as you wanted on paper, but no one had to see that side of you in person.

You considered your options again. Perhaps you should just go get food and come back to the room to continue your work. That is what you had decided to spend your solo vacation doing. However, going to this karaoke thing might be fun. Something about being around Rob made you feel happy. You noticed that you hardly thought about how sad you were, because you were so busy smiling and laughing when you were with him. Reminding yourself that you were in no condition to have a crush, you decided that being friends with Rob was going to be a good thing. The only way to develop a friendship with the man was to spend time with him.

You threw on your lanyard for the convention, hurried to the bathroom where you freshened up, and then headed downstairs.

* * *

You found a café downstairs where you seated yourself at a small table in a corner. You didn’t mind eating alone, you liked to sit in silence and people watch. You were studying the people in the busy café, knowing that many of them were convention attendees. You looked for the people wearing _Supernatura_ l t-shirts, passes hanging from their necks, just like the one you had. It gave you a warm feeling; these people were always walking around with huge smiles, talking excitedly amongst their friends about something that they loved. Maybe this show was something you should consider watching. It appeared to be pretty good about bringing people together.

You ate in silence, taking your time as you still had another hour or so before karaoke started. When you finished, you paid your bill and strolled along the corridor toward the convention area, the occasional fan walking past you. When you got closer to the theater, you began to feel a knot growing in your stomach. You hadn’t felt this at all this weekend, but you recognized it as uncertainty. You wondered if you should be doing this, going out of your way to see this man. He had shown you kindness the past couple of days, and you now felt like you were taking advantage. While a part of you thought that he might have been so kind because maybe he was interested in you, a larger part kept telling you that you were just someone who he just thought he should be nice to. After all, he was in the entertainment business, and kindness can get you pretty far.

You saw the line that was forming outside if the theater, assuming that it was the line for karaoke. You took your place in the back, asking a young woman standing in front of you if you were in the right line.

“Yeah,” she answered before looking at you quizzically, “have you ever been to karaoke before.”

You laughed, “I’ve been to karaoke. But I’ve never been to this karaoke”

“Your first con?” she asked.

“Ha, yeah. Is it that obvious?”

“Just a little,” she smiled at you, “you’ll have fun, it’s not as overwhelming as you think it is.”

You thanked her as she turned back to face the front of the line.

The theater was set up differently than it had been earlier in the day. Chairs were cleared from the front, with only a few rows left near the back. People began gathering in front of the stage, many of them in costume. You opted to take a seat in the back where you could just watch.

You caught yourself checking your phone, sort of waiting for a message from Rob. You had wondered if he would continue to ask you to come to karaoke. He didn’t. Your messages were empty and you felt a little bit disappointed about that. He had worked so hard in getting you involved with what was going on, you sort of thought he wouldn’t give up on you just yet. Despite your disappointment, you knew that it was your own fault. If you hadn’t come across so uninterested in all of this, he might still be making an attempt at seeing you.

You figured you’d stay for a bit, just to see what this was all about. The convention events still had you slightly puzzled, and you figured you had some time to see what the big deal was.

Karaoke started off, filled with energy; of course, energy supplied by Rich, who was obviously the master of ceremonies. You laughed your way through his introduction. Although this man often made you uncomfortable, you had to admit that he was funny as hell. Other actors, including Rob joined him on stage, and that’s when you noticed it. You recalled Rob mentioning that they dressed up as idiots and sang karaoke, and he wasn’t kidding. You looked around the stage at the actors in their costumes, in awe of the detail and coordination that they put into this event. The actors were dressed, staying in the theme of the “fandom fun house” that was promised in the program. You saw Rich dressed as a ringmaster, another man dressed as the strongman, actresses in various costumes, and of course; Rob. Rob was dressed in a costume that you couldn’t quite place. He was wearing a white shirt with a red and white striped vest, and a hat. He may have said that they dress up like idiots for karaoke, but he definitely looked pretty good, even from where you were sitting.

Throughout the evening, you learned that this event was hosted by Rich and another actor that they called, Matt. You were completely focused on what had been going on onstage, actually having a lot of fun. Fans joined the cast, singing various songs. Everyone seemed to be having a really good time. You started to understand the hype around a convention like this. Thousands of people, all here for the shared love of a TV show. You realized that these people were among what seemed like a family. Not just like-minded fans, but the cast as well. All of the actors were so involved. This was certainly something that you had never been a part of before. You had never felt this much shared excitement and love within one space.

You hadn’t really intended to stay through the entire event. You had just planned to pop in, see what it was all about, and leave before anyone noticed you. But, you had enjoyed karaoke night so much that you realized you had sat through the whole thing as the cast finished up singing “Carry On My Wayward Son” as a group and Rich began spouting off everyone’s names and telling the crowd “goodnight.” The crowd cheered louder than ever and the actors on stage began to make their exits.

You sat for a moment, watching fans as they made their way to the exits, a pleased smile plastered across your face. You felt really exhilarated for some reason. Maybe it was the energy coursing through the room during the event, or maybe it was the fact that you hadn’t been able to take your eyes off of Rob the whole time. You were lost in thought for some time until you realized that most of the room had cleared out. You made your way to the doors and stepped out into the hallway. Looking around, you saw that this was the quietest you had seen this area since you had been here. A few fans walked down the hall, still excited from the fun of the night. You pulled out your phone, thinking about texting Rob to let him know that you had shown up and had a lot of fun. Instead, you noticed that it was almost midnight. Figuring that it was far too late to text the man, who was probably exhausted from his busy day, you pocketed your phone and began walking down the hall.

You had taken a few steps when you heard a commotion behind you. you spun around to see a group of people leaving another room. You curiously watched them for a moment and realized that you recognized most of them as the people who had been on stage all night. Only this time, they were no longer in costume.

You spotted Rich right away, smiling to yourself a bit. You saw him look up in your direction. It only took a moment for him to recognize you, a grin spreading across his face as he raised up his arm and began waving wildly at you. “Y/N!” he shouted. He started jogging towards you, “you made it!”

“Haha! Yeah, I did!” you exclaimed as he quickly invaded your space, pulling you into a warm hug, which caught you by surprise. You took a moment before you hugged him back.

Pulling back from you he said, “did you have a good time? Rob said you weren’t coming.”

“I told him I’d think about it.” You replied.

“Well, I’m glad you showed,” he said, now looking back toward the rest of the group, “Rob’s gonna be happy that you did as well.”

Your gaze followed his as you searched the crowd together for Rob. He was the last one to leave the room. When you saw him, you felt the butterflies in your stomach again. You made a mental note to stop yourself from doing that.

Rich was now waving Rob down, “Robbie!” he shouted, “look who I found!” he was now pointing down at you, making sure that everyone knew who he was talking about.

You saw Rob look up, that smile popping up on his face, and he waved shyly at you. When he got close enough to talk to you without shouting as Rich had done, he awkwardly touched your arm as he said, “hey, I didn’t think you were coming.”

“Yeah, I was busy. But, I got tired of working so I figured I’d come check it out,” you averted your eyes from his, not wanting to stare too much.

“I’m glad you did. Did you have fun?”

“Yeah actually. I didn’t mean to stay the whole time. But I kinda got caught up in all the excitement.”

He chuckled, “I told you you’d have fun.”

You glanced around, again trying not to make eye contact. The rest of their group had stopped along with them, eyeing you, obviously waiting for an introduction. You cleared your throat uncomfortably and Rob realized that everyone was standing around.

“Oh, yeah. You haven’t met everyone yet.”

He proceeded to introduce you to a rather attractive looking taller man named Matt, who had been Rich’s co-host throughout karaoke. There was also a blonde woman named Briana, a short-haired woman named Kim, a fiery red-haired woman named Ruth, and a very young looking man named Osric. You blushed, a bit embarrassed to be in the presence of so many good-looking people. When Rob had finished introducing them to you, he proceeded to introduce you to them in the same way as he had with his band.

“This is my new friend, Y/N.” It was a simple introduction, but it still made you feel tingly, especially when he beamed at you as he did so.

“Ahem!” Rich interrupted, “don’t you mean, OUR new friend?” He threw his arm around your shoulders. “Honestly, I think she likes me more anyway.”

Rob gave Rich a disapproving look again as Rich grinned at you. You had to admit, it felt pretty nice to have these two men at least pretend to fight over you.

Their friends were actually very friendly. You had worried a bit about how they would act with Rob introducing a new friend to them. But Matt very politely shook your hand, “it’s a pleasure to meet you Y/N. Any friend of Rob’s… and Rich’s is a friend of mine.”

Osric was also very polite, “Hey, it’s nice to meet you.”

The three ladies then approached you all at the same time, taking your hand one after the other.

Briana spoke first, “Hi Y/N, it’s so nice to meet you. Rob hasn’t shut up about his new friend all night. We were wondering if we’d meet you at all.” You blushed hard at this. Rob had talked about you to his friends? You looked over at him and he was now staring hard at his shoes, and you could see the red in his face despite his beard covering most of it. You frowned at his obvious embarrassment over his friends’ comment.

“He just told us that he met a nice girl in the lobby yesterday and that you two had had a chance to hang out,” Kim interjected. She must have sensed how uncomfortable you and Rob were, because she was trying to lighten the mood.

“Y/N is a hoot,” Rich spoke up, “she drank Rob and I under the table last night. And don’t get me started on the dancing…” He was teasing. Instead of feeling more embarrassed, you laughed. You were starting to get the hang of this man’s humor.

“Stop it Rich,” Ruth warned, “can’t you see you’re embarrassing her?” You smiled at Ruth. You weren’t really embarrassed by his made-up story, but you appreciated her standing up for you.

“And worse,” Briana stated, “look at poor Rob!” Sure enough, Rob again had his fingertips pressed hard against the bridge of his nose, a pained look on his face.

“No. I’m okay,” he replied, removing his hand. He was still red with embarrassment.

Briana laughed, waving her arms in the air, signaling the group to keep moving. “Come on! Let’s keep the party going!”

The group continued to walk down the now empty hallway. You stayed next to Rob, unsure of what you should do at this point.

Kim turned back to you, “you joining us, sweetheart?”

“Oh- I don’t know,” you mumbled, “I wasn’t meaning to interrupt your party. I was just on my way back to my room.”

“You have plans?” she asked.

“I guess not… but I don’t want to intrude.”

“Bullshit!” she exclaimed, “you are so joining the party.”

“Yeah, want to see you drink these two under the table like Rich says you can.” Briana joined in. She winked at you, locking an arm with one of yours so that you were now walking side by side. You peered back to Rob who was just shaking his head, laughing under his breath.

“Don’t look at me,” he said, “it looks like no one is getting you out of this.”

“Ok… ok, sure. I guess I can hang out for a bit.” Briana, Kim, and Ruth shouted in approval.

“That’s my girl,” you heard Rich state as he sided next to Rob. You looked back again as Rich began to nudge his friend playfully. Rob only shook his head, an amused look on his face.

* * *

You entered a rather large hotel room with the rest of the group. Briana keeping your arms locked together. Once everyone filed in, drinks appeared, much to the excitement of everyone. You were suddenly left alone as Briana and the other ladies worked at preparing drinks for themselves. You felt really alone. They all seemed to be such great friends. They were laughing amongst each other, drinking, sharing stories about the night. And you, in your awkward glory, stood in one spot, not sure of what to do at this point. You considered leaving since they all seemed to have forgotten about you for the time being. Eyeing the door, you were interrupted from your thoughts by a red solo cup being shoved in your face. You looked around it to see Rich standing there, that smirk still very much present. You smiled and took the cup from him, checking to see what it was that he was having you drink.

“We know you’re a southern girl… mixed with a little bit of city, I’m sure you can still handle your whiskey?” he raised a brow, almost challenging you.

Could you handle your whiskey? You scoffed at him and downed the shot immediately. You could still drink whiskey, and truth be told, you could probably really drink Rich under the table. He handed you a beer, impressed by your shot-taking ability.

“Ah, you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl.”

“Truth,” you agreed with him, taking a drink. The two of you laughed together and he pointed at you with his own drink.

“You know what? I like you.”

“Yeah, I think we’ve established that every time we talk.” You said.

“Caught on to my flirting, have you?

“I think everyone has caught on to your flirting. It’s hard to miss.” For some reason, you were feeling less intimidated by Rich. Your banter came easily now. Maybe you were growing comfortable around him, or maybe it was the whiskey. Either way, you felt content with your new ability to reciprocate his teasing. A few of the others overheard you, laughing and offering encouragement in your exchange with Rich.

Rich threw his head back and laughed hard, making you giggle. Yeah, you could see yourself being friends with these people.

“No… no, I REALLY like you,” Rich said. He moved in closer, and now you were suddenly very uncomfortable again. _“Oh God, please don’t be hitting on me for real,”_ was your only thought. You took it all as teasing, but Rich had a habit of invading your personal space in a way that made you think he was flirting for real.

Rich leaned in so that his mouth was close to your ear and you stilled, kicking yourself for the possibility that you may have flirted back. You waited for what he would do next, but it certainly wasn’t what you had expected.

“You know,” his voice was low, right next to your ear so that only you could hear him, “I’m pretty certain that Rob REALLY likes you too.” He moved his head away so that he was just in front of you again. You didn’t know how to react. What did he even mean?

“I-I like Rob too. He’s been really nice to me.” you stuttered.

Rich shook his head, “no, I mean… Rob REALLY likes you.” He kept emphasizing that word. You still didn’t understand. You cocked your head to one side, a look of questioning on your face. Before you could reply, Rich said, “I’m just sayin… you two,” he pointed to Rob who was standing on the other side of the room, talking to Matt and Osric; and pointed back to you. He didn’t finish the sentence, instead he gave you a thumbs up and suggestive wink.

You felt yourself turn red as Rich simply walked away, joining the other three men. You stood there, in shock. Did he really just say that? What did he mean by it? You kept your eyes on the men, noticing when Rob looked over at you, smiling. You suddenly felt very panicked. You set your drink down on a nearby dresser, and made a b-line for the door.

“Hey Y/N!, where are you going?” you turned back around to see Briana approaching you. She looked fairly concerned. “What did Rich say to you? Did he upset you or something?”

“No, he was fine,” you lied, “I was just heading back to my room. It’s really late.”

“What did he do?” She asked, crossing her arms.

“Nothing, really. I’m fine.”

“Hmm…,” she gave you a disapproving look, obviously not believing you.

“He just… he said something about Rob and it kinda made me uncomfortable.” You weren’t sure why you were being so honest with her. You didn’t know her, but there was something about her that felt trustworthy.

Briana took you by the arm, “come with me,” she said as she led you towards the bathroom. You didn’t argue. As you both stepped in the bathroom, you were joined by Kim and Ruth. You were very confused as you all piled in to the tiny bathroom, the door being closed behind you.

“Um, what’s going on?” you managed to ask.

“Nothing,” Briana said, “we just wanted to have some girl talk with the woman that Rob won’t shut up about.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Oh stop it,” Kim joined in, “the man mentioned that he met you yesterday. Now he hasn’t stopped talking about you since we arrived this morning.”

“B-But… why?” you were genuinely confused. Why would Rob talk about a complete stranger to his friends?

“We don’t know,” chimed in Ruth, with her thick Scottish accent, “that’s why we wanted to have some time alone with you. To see who it was that had Rob all flustered.”

Your heart was racing, you could feel your ears burning, you were really overwhelmed right now. Kim must have caught on because she rested a reassuring hand on your shoulder. “Don’t freak out,” she said in a quiet voice, “we’re not saying that he’s like, obsessed with you or anything.”

“No, he’s just mentioned you a lot today. He was wondering if you were really going to show.” Briana added.

“And he’s been checking his phone all day, I only assume it was to see if you had sent him messages,” Said Ruth.

“Why though?” was all you could manage at this point. It really didn’t make any sense. Why would he be that concerned about whether you’d show up or not? Sure, the two of you had been friendly, but it wasn’t anything to get so worked up about. You were just another face in the sea of people that these celebrities met at every convention. You were no more special than the next girl. Besides, it had been Rich who had outwardly flirted with you. If anything, you would expect him to be the one searching for you.

Kim shrugged her shoulders, “well he was right about one thing when he told me that he had met a cute girl.”

“Oh God…” you covered your face, embarrassment growing.

“Don’t say that to Rob,” Ruth laughed, “you’ll inflate that ego of his.”

“What?”

“You know…” she tried to explain, “Oh God… since he’s God and all.”

You scrunched your face up, confused as ever.

“Honey, do you even watch the show?” asked Briana.

“I’ve never watched it,” you admitted, hoping you wouldn’t insult them.

“Ooh,” breathed out Kim, a look of amusement on her face, “we have a non-fangirl here.”

“Sorry,” you apologized, “honestly, I just met the guy when he found my guitar for me. and ran into him again at the bar last night by chance. I don’t watch your show, I didn’t even know who he was.”

“That’s a good thing!” shouted Kim, “we were concerned that he was getting whipped over a fan…”

“Which is not a good thing for an actor to do,” added Ruth, “it can get messy.”

“I don’t think he’s whipped…” you whispered.

“Oh, girl, that man is smitten,” Briana said with a smile, “haven’t seen him this way in years… not since before his ex left.”

You felt uneasy at her filling you in on information about Rob’s ex. It wasn’t your place to know that much about him.

“Anyway,” said Kim, “we just wanted to chat for a minute. See what has the man so worked up.”

“Okay, awesome… can- can I go now?”

They hesitated, but stood aside to let you leave the bathroom, which you did quickly. You headed toward the door, so ready to leave. What had just happened? You were feeling anxious over the third-degree from the women in the bathroom, and all you wanted to do was get back to the quiet of your own room. Heading out the door, you suddenly felt bad about not taking a moment to say good-bye to Rob. But, in this moment, you didn’t think you could face him.

You had escaped the room without anyone following you, so you walked quickly to the elevator, hitting the button repeatedly so that you could get out of there.

A million thoughts raced through your head. Where they all messing with you? Playing some cruel trick, making you believe that Rob had been talking about you all day? Kim, Briana, and Ruth seemed so kind and honest with you. The brief moment of girl talk with them had made you uncomfortable, but it was as if they really wanted to know who you were and what your intentions were. You shook the thoughts from your head as you reached your floor.

As you entered the quiet of your room, you flopped down on your bed, fully clothed. You didn’t bother making a move to change. The thoughts from tonight returned to your mind, making you dizzy with questions until you drifted off to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 of the convention. The reader starts to come to terms with her feelings for Rob. And, boy does Rob really start to show his feelings for the reader!

You woke up to the sound of your phone indicating that you had text messages coming in. Rubbing your eyes, you searched for the phone on the nightstand but it wasn’t there. You realized you were still in your clothes from yesterday, so you searched your pockets of your jeans until you found it in your back pocket. What a night. You had no recollection of falling asleep fully dressed. You checked your phone, a smile forming on your face when you saw that you had messages from Rob. You had behaved a bit dramatically the night before, running off after his friends had told you a little more than you thought you were ready to hear. Despite your quick exit from the party, you knew that you really did like Rob, you just couldn’t see why he would like you. However, seeing that he had taken the time to text you just now made you feel better about everything.

_Rob: Hey, are you awake?_

_Rob: I hope everything is okay. You seemed upset last night._

_Y/N: Hey Rob, yeah I’m fine._

_Rob: You took off pretty suddenly._

_Y/N: Yeah, I reached my limit on drinking and lack of sleep. I wasn’t thinking. I should have said goodbye at least._

_Rob: I’m sorry we kept you up._

_Y/N: It’s fine. I’m fine._

_Rob: Good. I was worried my friends may have said something to upset you._

_Y/N: No, they were great. I like them._

_Rob: I think they like you too._

_Rob: If you’re not busy today, you could come down to the convention. I’ve got a panel with Rich and Matt. And there’s the concert tonight…_

_Y/N: I told you’d I’d go to your show. I would love to see your panel too._

_Rob: See you around 10:30? Let me know when you get here and I’ll come find you._

_Y/N: Sure._

You checked the clock to make sure you had time to get ready. It was only 7. You groaned, sort of upset that Rob had messaged you so early. You don’t think you even left the party until 2 this morning. How the hell was he up and ready to go? You rolled off the bed, willing yourself to get in the shower. Sure, it was early, but you would have time to get breakfast before meeting up with Rob.

You got ready in record time. As you exited the elevator downstairs, your only goal at that moment was finding coffee. You wandered the main floor of the hotel until you spotted a coffee shop, quickening your pace, you headed for it. To your surprise, you noticed the woman that you had met last night, Briana standing in the line.

You stepped behind her, “They make the talent get their own coffee around here?” you asked.

Briana spun around, grinning when she recognized you. “Hey girl!” She pulled you in to a hug, which you gladly returned. “If I don’t get my own coffee, someone always fucks it up.” She answered.

You laughed as she pulled away.

“Hey, I’m sorry about last night. We shouldn’t have gotten involved.” She continued.

“Don’t be sorry,” you said, “I’m the one who should be sorry. I freaked out and made an idiot of myself.”

“It’s just…” she paused briefly, thinking about what to say next, “none of us have seen Rob like this in a long while. He talked about you and he was just so… happy. When we realized you were the girl that he had met, the one he was talking about, we had to know what was going on.”

You lowered your head, nodding. “I get it.”

“He’s a good guy. And he’s our friend. We’ve all seen him at his worst this past year, and we just don’t want to see him hurt, ya know?”

“And you thought I’d hurt him?”

“Well, we knew that he was interested in you. We just didn’t want it to be for the wrong reasons.”

You thought about her statement. So, Rob was interested in you? He had definitely talked about you to his friends, enough so that they were concerned and wanted to get to know more about you.

“Okay, but… Rob and I don’t even know each other. We’ve hung out briefly. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”

Briana cocked an eyebrow at you, “I don’t think there’s anything to worry about anymore. Because I’ve met you… and we’ve only talked a little bit, but don’t think I didn’t see the way you kept looking at him last night.”

“I think he’s cute,” you admitted, “and really nice. He seems like a really great guy.”

“He is. He’s the best. Which is why I think you should consider hanging out with him more.” She nudged your arm with her elbow in encouragement.

“Well, I’m grabbing a coffee and I’m actually on my way to meet him at the convention.”

Briana beamed at you, “That’s good!” she said.

“Yeah, I think so too.”

She turned back to the counter and quickly ordered her coffee. When the barista handed it over to her, she turned back to you, “I’ll see you down there, okay?”

You nodded as you stepped forward to order your own coffee. She gave your arm a squeeze with her free hand before heading off. Before she got too far, she turned toward you again, “Hey, maybe try relaxing a little bit today. No more running off.”

“Okay,” you said. Briana continued to walk off as you received your coffee.

You smiled to yourself. Maybe you could learn to mellow out a little bit, especially now that you knew Rob was interested. You could manage to hold back that little sliver of doubt that kept creeping up in your mind about him. After all, it had been a long time since anyone had shown interest in you. Even Chris hadn’t shown you this much interest in the last few years of your now failed relationship. Maybe you deserved the attention.

When you reached the convention area, it was still early. You sent Rob a text to let you know that you were there already, hoping that he wouldn’t be upset that you were early. He immediately sent you a text back, saying that he would come get you. Almost as soon as you had read his text, he was coming out of the doors of the greenroom, smiling as he saw you.

“Hey, Y/N!” He made an awkward movement toward you, almost as if he wanted to hug you but then decided not to. Instead, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and rocked back on his heels. He managed to keep eye contact with you and you melted at those blue eyes.

“Hi,” you said. There was a slight awkward silence, neither of you knowing what to do next. So, when the awkwardness became too much; and you felt a surge of confidence race through you because of your conversation with Briana; you took a step closer to him and leaned in to give him a peck on the cheek. His beard tickled your lips and you immediately regretted your decision, wondering if you had maybe overstepped. When you pulled back, Rob was still smiling and gradually regaining that flush in his cheeks that seemed to be constantly present when he was around you. Your moment of confidence must have rubbed off on him, because he then grabbed your hand, holding it tight.

“Come on, we’re just hanging out for a bit before soundcheck,” he said as he led you to the greenroom.

You entered the room behind Rob, hand still held firmly within his. The room was pretty full today. The rest of the band sat at a table; lazily plucking at guitars and playing with drumsticks. They looked up from where they were sitting, smiling and nodding in your direction. Matt and Rich sat on a couch close by, both on their phones, not even noticing you walk in. You saw Osric, Briana, Ruth, and Kim, sitting at another table; each drinking coffee and chatting amongst each other. Kim spotted you first, waving hello and suddenly giving you a look when she noticed you and Rob holding hands. You couldn’t help but keep that stupid grin on your face. In fact, it wouldn’t go away no matter how hard you willed it to. This man gave you butterflies and made you smile so much that you thought you would never stop smiling. And this time, you just let it happen. You stopped worrying about everything else and you just let him hold your hand.

He walked you over to the same couch where Rich and Matt were sitting. They both glanced up from their phones at the same time as you and Rob approached.

“Do you wanna sit?” Rob asked, motioning toward the couch.

“Sure,” the words that you two shared still felt awkward. But, you didn’t mind. You knew that you only needed some time to get back into that comfortable groove that you had both felt that night at the bar.

You sat next to Matt, Rob joining you on the opposite side.

“Well, hello…” Matt said. “We were wondering if we’d see you again. You ran off so quickly last night.”

You felt a little embarrassed, “I know. I was pretty tired last night. I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“No worries, you’re here though. That’s good.” Matt had a warm smile.

“Hey sweetheart,” Rich joined in, “you ran off because you couldn’t handle your whiskey like you thought you could, huh?” Again with the teasing. Rich gave you a sympathetic look, and you realized that he was only trying to make you feel better about having run off.

“I can handle my whiskey just fine,” you promised, “maybe I ran off because _someone_ doesn’t know how to tone down the flirting.”

Rob laughed at that, Matt and Rich joining in.

“Rich here sure does have a way with the ladies, doesn’t he?” Matt joked.

“Yeah, a way to scare them off,” Rob added.

You all laughed on Rich’s behalf, Rich pretending to be insulted.

“Hey, I’ll have you know that I could’ve bagged this one,” he said, wrapping an arm around you, “had it not been for this ladies’ man over here sweeping her off her feet.” He nodded toward Rob.

You and Rob both laughed, looking at each other. You must have been looking at each other for too long, because Rich and Matt both excused themselves, leaving the two of you alone.

“How do you put up with him?” you asked jokingly as you watched the two men leave.

“He grows on you,” he replied, “he’s a good guy, my best friend actually.”

“Yeah, he seems like a good guy. I like him.”

Rob looked at you curiously, “you like him?”

“Yes, I like him… but not as much as I like you.” Damn, you were getting really brave. You almost didn’t recognize yourself today with the things you were saying and doing. But something about Rob had you willing to push yourself a little bit. Should you really be flirting with him? Should you really allow whatever this was to continue?

Rob gave a nervous laugh, “I like you too.” He reached back for your hand, pausing for a moment before taking it in his own again. You smiled and gave his hand a squeeze, letting him know that it was okay.

“So, tell me more about yourself, Y/N. I feel like we’ve talked a lot, but I still don’t know much about you.”

“What would you like to know?” you asked.

“Umm… well, what do you do? Like, what is your job?”

“I’m a songwriter,” you answered bluntly.

“So, you’re in a band or something?”

“No, it’s just me and my guitar and my notebook.”

“Are you like, a solo artist or something? You play shows?” He leaned in closer, genuinely interested in the conversation.

“Not exactly. I just write songs.”

“And that’s your job? You write songs but you don’t perform?” He was looking a bit confused now.

“I’m just a songwriter. So, I write lyrics and music… then I sell those songs to artists who record them.”

Rob’s eyes widened, “Oh wow, so you’re a legit songwriter?”

“Yeah, I just do all the work and someone else takes credit for it.” You laughed.

“You write anything I might know?”

“Not unless you listen to country music,” you assured him, “Nashville girl here, I write country songs.”

You continued to chat more about your music. Rob asked a lot of questions about your work.

“Why did you decide to write songs for other people to sing?”

“I don’t know…” you thought hard for a moment, “I’ve always been into music. Started playing guitar when I was really young. My grandpa taught me. He bought me my first guitar, the one you saved for me. I just started writing songs, but I never saw myself as a performer.”

“Why not?”

“It’s one thing to write these really personal words, these feelings… it’s quite another to get up in front of a crowd and then sing them out loud. I figure, there’s that line of remaining anonymous that you don’t have to cross if you just let someone else sing those words. I can be whoever I want to be on paper, but no one has to know that it’s me in real life.” You glanced up at Rob who was hanging on your every word.

“I don’t know that I could do that,” he reiterated. “Give my words to someone else, I mean.”

“Some of us are born to be performers,” you said, rubbing your thumb across his hand, “the rest of us are just meant to stay on the sidelines.”

You talked for what seemed like hours, about everything and anything. You talked about your families, your friends, and why you had each ended up in L.A. You found that you had a lot in common and that there were many things about each other that you each found intriguing. Before you knew it, The band and Rich were being called away to start the welcome for the day.

“You can hang out here if you’d like,” Rob said, “I’ll just be out there for a bit and I can come back.”

You nodded and he bent down and gave you kiss on the top of your head before he headed out. Your head was swimming. This time, in a good way. In your ecstatic daze, you glanced around the room to see who was still present, but the room was empty. Everyone had left and you hadn’t even noticed until now. 

* * *

You looked around, feeling a bit bored now that you were alone. You spotted a guitar that had been left leaning up against a chair at the table where the band had been sitting. You stood up and made your way toward the table, picking up the guitar. You returned to your spot on the couch, figuring it wouldn’t hurt to play a little. It wasn’t your guitar, but no one had to know. Besides, you hadn’t been writing nearly as much as you should’ve been on this trip. Getting comfortable, you began playing, just strumming some old stuff for a long while. You found yourself working through the music for a song that you had written yesterday morning. You quietly hummed the words that you had memorized, until you reminded yourself that you were alone. Checking around the room again, just to be sure no one was around, you began to sing.

You must have been lost in the song the entire time, because only when you looked back up from the guitar did you notice Kim and Briana standing at the doorway. Startled, you stopped playing and immediately began to apologize.

“I’m so sorry! I know this isn’t my guitar,” you jumped up, rushing back to the table to put the guitar back, “I shouldn’t have touched it.”

The women walked toward you. “That’s one of Rob’s guitars,” Kim assured you, “I’m pretty sure he wont care… because, that was amazing Y/N!”

“Did you write that?” Briana asked.

“Yeah, I write songs.”

“Holy shit,” Kim still had a look of shock on her face, “you can really sing.”

You blushed, “it’s nothing. I don’t really sing. I just write songs for other people to sing.”

“You sure you don’t sing?” Briana asked, “Because that sure as hell sounded like singing to me.”

Just then; Rob, Rich, Billy, Mike, and Stephen reentered the room, Rob beaming at you as usual.

“Y/N was playing your guitar, Rob.” Kim stated.

“Oh?” he looked at you curiously.

“Sorry, I just wanted to play a bit.”

“It’s no problem. I’d like to hear you play sometime.” He put his arm around your shoulders, pulling you in.

“Yeah, we heard her singing,” continued Briana, “she’s got a hell of a voice.” Briana winked at you before walking away.

“You were singing?” Rob asked.

“Just something I have been trying to work on this weekend. It’s nothing.”

“Hmm… I’m a little jealous that they heard you sing before I got the chance to.”

You reached a hand up to his face, running your fingers through his beard, “you’ll get a chance. I promise. They only heard first because they snuck in on me.”

Rob smiled again, pulling you into a hug.

The rest of the day went rather slowly. Rob and your new friends came and went. There never seemed to be a moments rest for them. You sat in on the panel that Rob, Rich, and Matt did together, laughing at their jokes and stories. Just listening to them talking about their adventures and how they had become friends made you happy. You loved that they were all so close and really looked out for each other. You also loved how much the crowd loved them. After their panel, they were busy with photo ops and autographs. You hung out in the greenroom some more, feeling pretty lonely as everyone came and went.

Later in the afternoon, you met another actor from the show. Osric had introduced you to a much taller man named Misha. He towered over almost everyone else. When Misha met you, he shook your hand and engaged in conversation with you for some time. He mostly asked you how you knew Rob, and seemed relieved when he realized that you weren’t a fan of the show. He had repeated Ruth in her comment from the night before about dating fans and how messy it could get. It warmed your heart to know that all of these people felt genuine concern for Rob. They really just didn’t want to see him hurt again.

However, that was one thing that you and Rob hadn’t discussed. You knew that his last relationship had not ended well, information courtesy of Kim, Briana, and Ruth. And Rob had no clue about the mess that you had literally escaped from just days ago. Perhaps that would be a conversation that would have to come up sooner rather than later.

As the day came to an end, you found yourself still in the greenroom. Now, most of the cast were done for the day; sans a few who were finishing up autographs.

“What now?” you asked Rob as the two of you sat next to each other on the couch again.

“Now, we get to relax for a few hours until we have to get ready for the concert.” He stood, reaching his hand out for you. You took his hand as he helped you stand. You walked again, hand in hand, out the doors and down nearly empty hallway.

“Where are we going now?” you asked.

“To relax,” he grinned, still leading the way.

When you realized that he was leading you to the hotel room, you began to panic again. But something kept your feet moving. You wanted to follow him. You didn’t want to leave his side. You were sure that he just wanted to hang out with you more, and that there’s no way he could be expecting something to happen right now.

He invited you into his room. When he saw your moment of hesitation, he calmed your nerves by stating that he wasn’t going to try anything. “I just wanted to spend time together somewhere more private.”

“I don’t know if I should…” you began.

“You can trust me, Y/N. I like you too much to do anything to mess up my chances with you,” he caught himself, “not that I think that I have a chance. I just mean… if I have a chance… I don’t wanna screw it up.”

“Okay,” you said, entering the room, “I trust you.”

Rob dropped down onto the couch dramatically, letting out a long sigh. You joined him after a moment.

“You okay?” you asked.

“Long day…” he replied.

“Yeah, they sure keep you busy, huh?”

He hummed his reply, closing his eyes for a moment. He reached for you, pulling you in so that you were practically leaning against his body. You didn’t mind. You were finding that you really liked being close to him. He had been so touchy-feely today, and every moment of contact made your stomach flip.

“I really like being around you,” he muttered, eyes still closed.

“I like being around you too.”

“You know…” he trailed off, “I think I’d like to keep you around.” You looked up at him, there was now a knot forming in your stomach at his words.

“Rob, you barely know me…”

“I know you just fine,” he was now staring down at you, arm still firm around your shoulder.

“We’ve only known each other for a couple of days.” You argued.

“Well, I know that I like you. I know that you write songs that other people sing. I know that you’re a country girl who lives in the city. I know that you learned to play music on a guitar that your grandfather bought for you from a pawn shop; and you still play it. I know that you turn bright red over anything that Rich has to say to you. I know that you’re sort of afraid of me, and I think you know that I’m sort of afraid of you. I also know that you’re tired of being afraid; because, despite whatever is going on in your mind, you still end up somewhere with me…”

You stared at him in shock. This was probably the sweetest thing any man has ever said to you. He was being honest, and you could tell by the cracking in his voice that he was afraid. But he was still admitting all of this to you.

“I also know… that I just really want to kiss you right now.” His gaze never left yours. You spent what felt like forever just looking at each other. You, of course, wanted to run right now. All of this feeling like too much to handle. But you didn’t run. Instead, you nodded your head. That was all he needed.

Rob moved in closer, his face just inches from yours. His hand reached up to your jawline, fingertips gently brushing along your skin. You closed your eyes and waited. You could feel his breath against your lips, but that was it. The kiss that you were anticipating wasn’t happening. You opened your eyes slowly, glancing up at him to see what the holdup was. He was still staring right at you. His eyes taking you in, his lips turned up in a mischievous smile, his hand now tracing lines along your neck. He was teasing you.

You weren’t about to let him get away with teasing. You could play the game as well.

You reached a hand up, running it up his chest before you curled your fingers into his shirt. You yanked hard, pulling him close enough so that you were nose to nose. You heard his breath catch in surprise, his eyes never leaving yours. You waited. You allowed your lips to linger just barely against his for some time. Your breath quickened and you watched his eyes turn from blue to gray with lust in an instant. Before you could make another move, he was crashing his lips against yours.

You kissed for a long time. It was heated and intense, certainly not the slow and gentle first kiss that you expected a man like Rob to engage in. He was full of surprises, and this was a nice one. Hands were everywhere, exploring each other; you were pulling him closer to you even though there was no way he could possibly be any closer. You just wanted him. You wanted to never stop kissing him. Eventually, he pulled away, leaning his forehead against yours, still taking the time to stare into your eyes. You were both breathless. He held your face in his hands as he gave you a series of chaste kisses.

“That was…” he worked on steadying his breathing.

“…wow.” You finished his sentence. You both laughed, and he continued to pepper your face with kisses.

You leaned back together on the couch, you tucked just under Rob’s arm, feeling more comfortable than you had felt all weekend. He was carding his hands through your hair lazily when his phone rang. He slowly pulled away from you to reach for his phone and you whined at the loss of contact, to which he looked back at you and smiled.

“Shit, it’s just my alarm. I’ve got to get back for soundcheck.” He stood up and rushed to the bathroom. When he returned to the room, you saw that he had changed into a white button up shirt and a black waistcoat. Damn, he looked really good right now. He grabbed a few things before he headed for the door; you following right at his heels.

“I should go freshen up then,” you said. He ran a finger across your lips.

“Yeah, you show up looking like that and everyone is going to think that I got lucky.”

You glanced in the mirror on the wall and saw that he was right. Your hair was a mess and your clothes were rumpled.

“Don’t take too long,” he whispered, leaning in again. He kissed you hard for a second. “I want to see you in that crowd tonight.”

“I’ll be there,” you assured him as he rushed out the door and down the hall.

You reentered Rob’s room, collected your belongings, and took care to make sure that the door was closed and secure behind you. You walked slowly down the hall toward the elevator, head spinning. You smiled uncontrollably. Your lips were still tingling and you could still feel his calloused hands on your skin. You didn’t really care that you look disheveled, you took your time walking, basking in this new feeling.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kim overhears a conversation that reveals some information that the reader really didn’t want anyone to know about. Can the reader trust Kim to keep her secret? Reader also attends SNS, and experiences Rock God Rob for the first time. Sexy times happen…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Refrences to: Tennessee Whiskey by Christ Stapleton and Hey Darlin by Louden Swain

You stepped on to the elevator and pushed the button to your floor. As the doors closed, you leaned back against the wall, unable to wipe the huge smile on your face. You hadn’t felt this way about anyone in a really long time. Your heart was still racing and you closed your eyes as you made sure to etch the moment that you and Rob had just shared into your memory. Your phone buzzed, bringing you out of your thoughts. You glanced down to see a text message from a number that you didn’t recognize.

_?: What room are you in?_

You frowned as you read the message.

_Y/N: Who is this?_

_?: Sorry, it’s Kim._

_Y/N: Oh, why do you want to know my room number? Also, how did you get my number?_

_Kim: I got it from Rob’s phone. He still hasn’t learned to lock it. I wanted to come see you. Girl chat._

You smiled to yourself, stepping off the elevator and heading to your room as you replied.

_Y/N: I’m in 514. Going to get freshened up a bit. I’ll leave it open._

_Kim: Yeah, I bet you need to freshen up._

You shook your head at her message. You had a feeling that Kim and the other ladies could be really great friends. They seemed to take a liking to you, and you silently thanked them for encouraging you to mellow out and give Rob a chance.

When you entered your room, you made sure to leave the door slightly propped open for Kim. You quickly undressed and changed into a dress that you had found in your luggage. You knew you didn’t have to do anything to impress Rob, for some reason, he was already impressed by you. But it couldn’t hurt to dress up for him a little bit. You went into the bathroom and began to fix your messed up hair and reapply your makeup. As you did so, you couldn’t help but replay that kiss in your mind. Just thinking about it made your lips tingle. You missed the feeling of his lips on yours already.

* * *

You were startled again by your phone ringing. You glanced down at your phone with another smile, thinking that maybe it was Rob. Your heart stopped when you saw Chris’ name as the incoming caller. You froze for a moment, now needing to decide if you should answer. Why would he be calling you? You hesitated as your finger hoovered over your phone. You shouldn’t even consider answering. He had made it very clear that he was done with you, and you knew that talking to him would only ruin your night. In the end, your curiosity (and perhaps your still broken heart) won. You answered the call, bringing the phone to your ear. You didn’t even say anything. You just held the phone, listening, wondering what he could want.

“Y/N?” Your heart skipped a beat when he spoke.

“What do you want?” you asked, your voice wavered slightly. You could feel the sting of tears forming in your eyes immediately, still so hurt by what he had put you through. You forced them back, promising yourself that you wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of hearing you cry over him. You walked back to the room, sitting on the side of the bed, bracing yourself for what you knew would be a discussion that would most likely have you in tears.

“I wanted to hear your voice,” he slurred. Fantastic. You could tell that he was drunk. You could always tell when he was drunk. You rubbed your temple in frustration. The last thing you wanted was to speak to him after he had been drinking. You knew how he got when he was drunk, you also knew that this conversation would not end in your favor. You should have hung up on him right away, but a small part of you wanted to hear his voice too… wanted to know what he had to say.

“You’ve been drinking…” you replied.

“Yeah, I have. I haven’t slept. I’ve been drinking for a couple of days…” he trailed off.

“Why?”

“I miss you,” you tried harder to hold back the tears. You knew this would happen. It went like this every time.

“No, you don’t,” you said shaking your head, “you can’t miss something that you never wanted in the first place.”

“I always wanted you, Y/N.” his voice cracked as he said your name, “I had you for so long, and I always wanted you.”

You could hear him begin to cry. You shut your eyes tight, devastated that he would do this to you again. This hadn’t been the first time the two of you had broken up. There were countless times in which you had left him, for countless reasons. Every time, he would call you or find you, begging you to come back. This was the first time that he had been the one to leave you, but it was still the same… he still had a way of coming back into the picture, admitting his mistakes, begging you to not leave.

“I’m not the one who left this time, Chris,” you reminded him. “you are the one who left me. You walked out on me to be with her.” You felt yourself getting angry now.

“I know. But I made a mistake. She’s not who I want,” his words still slurring, “she’s not you.”

You let out a defeated sigh. You didn’t believe there was going to be a resolution to this conversation, not while he was as drunk as he was. He wasn’t going to listen to you.

“You made that choice, you took that chance,” you began to raise your voice without meaning to.

Chris was silent for a moment. You stayed on the phone, thinking about ending it there, but you didn’t. a part of you still wanted to hear him out.

He finally spoke, “we make a lot of mistakes, Y/N. We always do. But, in the end, you always come back to me.”

That had done it for you. The anger that had begun to build during the beginning of this conversation finally reached its boiling point. Your face went hot, heart racing. You wanted to get really angry. You wanted to hang up, but you found yourself sobbing into the phone.

“WE made mistakes?!” you yelled. “I didn’t cheat on you, I didn’t leave you for someone else while you waited in the airport for me! I didn’t make mistakes!” The tears fell freely down your face now. You were crying so hard and the ache hurt so much that you felt your chest would explode.

“You left me plenty of times!” He shouted back. You could tell that he was also getting angry. “You left me so many times and you always came back!”

“I left you because you hurt me!” you spat back. You didn’t want to bring up the past, didn’t want to speak about all of the things that he had put you through… that he had done to you. You had spent so long denying everything, trying to erase those things from your memory. But, it all must have been too much. It must have been building up for so long that you had finally had enough. Without thinking, you confronted these things that you had kept hidden from everyone including yourself. “You hurt me so much, and I loved you so much that I wanted to believe that you would change!”

This had turned into a full-on shouting match by this point. You were both emotional, both so angry, and neither of you could make the rational decision to just stop. You knew that he was beginning to feel defeated in the argument, because he was now calling you names, the names that he used to call you when he had fucked up in the past. You were crying harder due to the horrible things he was saying to you. You thought about hanging up right then, but this was your chance to let him know exactly what he had done to you, how much pain he had caused you.

“I did always come back to you,” you managed to tell him, calming down a little bit. “I came back to you every time that I found out that you were cheating… I came back after every fight, after every time that you hit me,” your sobbing has slowed by now, and you noticed yourself feeling a little braver, “I came back because I thought you were it for me.”

You paused, waiting to see if he would interject. When he had nothing to say, you decided to continue.

“But you’re not it for me Chris. You’re nothing to me. I won’t do this anymore.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying,” he whispered, “I know that I was terrible to you, but I haven’t laid a hand on you in months.”

“No, but you broke my heart. Again. You broke my heart so much… that I don’t have anything left for you.” Your eyes welled up with tears again, mostly at your sudden realization. “You broke me. And… I-I… I’m just done.”

He grew silent again. He was quiet for so long that you wondered for a moment if he had given up and ended the call, but you could hear him breathing steadily on the other end. He said nothing. Hell, he couldn’t at this point. This had been the first time that you really stood up to him and told him that he had completely broken you.

“I expect you to be out of my house before I get back,” you said, “I want your things gone and I want you gone.”

“You always come back to me…” he said, a hint of pain in his voice.

You closed your eyes, knowing that you couldn’t feel bad for him anymore. “Not this time. I want you gone.” While you had always taken him back in the past, no matter what he had put you through, this time it felt different. Before this weekend, you really had always felt that he was it for you. Maybe it was crazy, but being with Rob made you feel like there was something better. Instead of remaining in a toxic relationship, maybe you could be happy for once. You were terrified of Rob, sure. But, something about him made you want to try. You could hide it all; you could end this with Chris for good and be with Rob. He never had to know how broken you felt, you could let him make you happy or at least go on pretending that you were happy.

“Who else will love you?” he asked sharply, his words not surprising you. He was often cruel during fights, saying anything that he could to hurt you.

“Someone will,” you replied. You didn’t bother trying to hear him out any more. You ended the call, tossing the phone on the bed next to you. You buried your face in your hands and allowed yourself to cry again.

You tried to calm yourself, knowing that you had to push these feelings away. You had to get to Rob’s concert, you couldn’t let him down. Now, you had forgotten the amazing way that you had been feeling before the phone call. You could only feel the sting of Chris’ words and the memories that he had dredged up. Feeling conflicted again, you still knew that you had to get downstairs. You stood up, ready to make your way back to the bathroom to repair your makeup. As you turned around, you jumped when you saw Kim standing there. She had a look of shock on her face.

“How long have you been standing there?” you demanded.

Kim hesitated, concern now crossing her face, “long enough, Y/N…”

“Well that’s fantastic,” you said sarcastically as you walked to the bathroom. You began working on your makeup yet again, still trying to hold back the sobbing. Kim followed carefully.

“What the hell was that?” she asked softly.

“That… was a private conversation,” you looked at her, “do all of Rob’s friend have a habit of butting in to other people’s lives?” You hadn’t meant to raise your voice. You weren’t angry with Kim. You were embarrassed about what she had just overheard. More than that, you were scared that she might mention this to Rob.

“I-I’m sorry,” she stuttered, “you told me you’d leave the door open so I just came in. I heard you crying and yelling and I just… I just froze.”

You took a deep breath, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry you had to hear that.”

“What was that?” she asked again, moving towards you. You shook your head, holding back more tears. You didn’t answer, but when you couldn’t hold the tears back any longer, Kim moved in and pulled you into a tight embrace. You found yourself sobbing again and she just held you, stroking your hair as she let you cry.

You were still scared. Scared of what she would think of you, scared of what she would tell Rob. You thought of him more than anything right now. Wondering if it was right for you to let him become involved with you. He made you feel so happy, but it was clear that there was still something broken in you.

When you had calmed down a bit, you told her everything. There was something about Kim and even Briana and Ruth that made you feel comfortable. You felt like you had known them for a ages, and you didn’t have other girlfriends to talk about these things to. Maybe these women could be those friends. After you finished explaining everything to her; the airport, the one-woman vacation, the reasons for you having run out on Rob before… you felt better. It was a good feeling to get it all out.

“You must hate me. I mean, I just became single the same day I met Rob.”

“I don’t hate you, Y/N.” she reassured you as she rubbed circles on your back.

“God,” you said, rubbing your now puffy eyes, “Rob is going to hate me.”

Kim frowned, “Rob is not going to hate you either. He’s so into you, it’s not even funny.”

You let out a stuttered sigh, “I shouldn’t have answered the phone. I’m such an idiot. I have found this great thing with Rob…” your voice turned into a whisper, “I shouldn’t have felt that I needed to hear what Chris had to say.”

“You’re only human,” she said, “but maybe you shouldn’t ask yourself why you answered. You should be asking yourself why you even stayed with that man.”

“He was my first real love. We were together for 5 years…”

“I get it… but this man physically hurt you.” You shot her a look, suddenly defensive of her accusation.

“What? What are you talking about?”

“I heard you… I heard you say that you always went back, even after he hit you.” she chose her words carefully, attempting to avoid making you angry again.

But you laughed, mostly at the absurdity of it all. She was right. You spent so much time trying to erase that aspect of that relationship, that you only focused on the hurt that you felt from the cheating and the lying.

“What can I say? I’m an idiot.”

“You’re not an idiot for what he did to you. I just… I’ve seen what abuse does to people, and you don’t have to feel alone in this.”

“You know,” you spat, “I don’t want to talk about this. This doesn’t matter right now. The only thing that matters is that we get down to the theater.” You walked past her to retrieve your phone and your purse.

“Okay,” she agreed. “But, it’s not good to keep these things in, so when you need to talk… you can, you know?”

“Great!” you faked a smile, quickly pushing back your feelings again. “Thanks, but there’s nothing to talk about. I need to get downstairs to see Rob; and from what I understand, you have to be at the show as well.”

Kim nodded, looking somewhat sad. But she followed you from your room. The two of you walked down the hall in silence for a while before you turned to her, “Kim, I’d appreciate it if you just kept this between us. Rob doesn’t need to know about what you overheard.”

She looked defeated, “Okay. But you really should talk to him at some point.”

You smiled at her, “I care about him. I really do. But do you really think that any of that matters? I mean, it’s in the past. You heard me tell Chris to be gone by the time I got home. It’s over, it’s been over for a long time. I just don’t think it’s worth bothering Rob with.”

“I’m just saying,” she argued, “things like that just don’t go away, they tend to build up within you. If anything, you should talk to Rob… me… someone about this. Locking it up only makes it worse.”

Kim was a smart woman. She was reading you like a book right now. You had become so good at pretending that you were happy, pretending that you were not a victim. You had forgotten how to accept help from others. At this point, you still hadn’t learned any better. All you could do was keep pretending.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you lied, “whatever you think you heard, you’re mistaken. Yes, we had our issues; every couple does. But I’m not as damaged as you think I am.”

“Y/N…” Kim sighed in exasperation, grabbing your hand.

You quickly pulled away, not wanting the physical contact right now, “we’re done talking about this,” You said, ending the conversation.

* * *

By the time you made it downstairs for the concert, it was too late to even see Rob before you took your seat. The band was backstage, and you had to rush to your seat in the theater. You sat just in time as the show started. You sat, still nervous about the fact that Kim at overheard that conversation. You knew she was back there with Rob right now, and you weren’t sure if she would say something to him. She may have been friendly with you and supportive, but in the end she was Rob’s friend. Not yours. She was the kind of person who would always look out for his well-being. Right now, even you weren’t sure if you were good for Rob.

Your sat there, thinking about the possibility of you just ending this. It was early on in whatever this thing with Rob was. You could cut your losses, tell him you couldn’t see him anymore, save him from being pulled into this hurricane of a life that you lived.

Before you could sink down into your thoughts anymore, Rich was on stage. He introduced the band to a deafening wave of screams and cheers from the audience. When the band took the stage, the cheering grew louder, and you couldn’t help but be pulled from your moment of desperation. You didn’t realize how hard you were smiling when you saw Rob, guitar in hand, step up to the microphone. Despite the clusterfuck of events that had just happened in your room, you felt happy in that moment. The band launched right in to an upbeat song, the crowd singing along. You scolded yourself again, because you still hadn’t found the time to listen to their music throughout the weekend.

The concert went on; the band playing song after song. Occasionally, another actor from the show would join them onstage to sing. You had watched Matt, Osric, Briana, Ruth, and Kim each perform a song with them. While your heart stopped for a moment when Kim took the stage; still remembering what she had overheard, it appeared as if she hadn’t spoken to Rob already. They laughed and joked before the song, Rob looking happy and comfortable up on the stage. You had to admit, this entire cast was extremely talented. They each had such unique voices and styles. No matter what they sang, you were blown away by their level of talent.

At one point, another man that you hadn’t met yet, joined the band on stage. Rich had taken the place of Mike on bass and you smiled, remembering your conversation with him about music. You had almost forgotten that he could play. Rob introduced Jensen Ackles and the crowd went wild. He then introduced Jason Manns as the man bounded up on the stage from behind the curtain. The band began to play a very familiar tune. You waited a moment, realization dawning on you once you recognized the song they were about to play.

 _I used to spend my nights out in a barroom_  
_Liquor was the only love I’ve known_  
 _But you rescued me from reachin’ for the bottom_  
 _And brought me back from being too far gone…_

The man named Jason sang soulfully with the music. The other men joined in on the chorus;

 _You’re as smooth as Tennessee whiskey_  
_You’re as sweet as strawberry wine_  
 _You’re as warm as a glass of brandy_  
 _And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time…_

Jensen picked up the next verse and the audience screamed in excitement. He was really good, hell, they both were. They certainly did the song justice. While the fans continued to scream praises for the two men, your eyes didn’t leave Rob. There was something about seeing him sing this song. You felt your face flush and you found yourself mouthing the words along with the men on stage.

When they had finished the song that they deemed, “an appropriate one for Nashville,” you didn’t think that this show could have gotten any better. You had watched Rob turn into this rock god right before your eyes. All of that anxiousness and awkwardness that you had come to adore about him had washed away suddenly. He commanded that stage; full of confidence and so much talent. This was a new side of him that you were witnessing. A side of him that you found yourself wanting more of.

Before you knew it, the Rob announced the final song of the night. The rest of the cast came from the back of the stage, each taking their places in a line across the stage. The band began to play and Rob began to sing a song that he called “Medicated.” You listened as he sang, the rest of the cast joining in on a few parts. You laughed as Rob jumped from the stage, beginning to work the crowd. He walked down the aisle closest to where you were sitting, scanning the space until you caught his eye. He continued to sing, shooting you a wink. You blushed, sinking down in your chair a bit, hoping that no one around you noticed. He returned to the stage and the next thing you knew, he shouted, “kazoo solo!” All around you, fans had pulled out kazoos and began to play a tune in harmony. Literally every person in the room was playing the tune on their kazoos. You looked around the room in awe, still laughing. It was absurd, but amazing that Rob could get an entire crowd to play a kazoo at the same time. The actors on stage also did a kazoo solo before the band finished the song. You cheered along with the crowd at the end, even picking up on the lyrics easily and singing the last lines of the song with them.

The band waved and blew kisses to the audience, fans screaming again, and took their exit off the stage. You sat there in a haze, exhilarated by the show. You had heard Rob sing during the panels of the convention, but you didn’t know he could perform quite like that. You were impressed by the music and the lyrics that you had to remind yourself Rob had actually written. He was talented, charming, and gorgeous. You realized how lucky you were to have been the one girl to catch his attention. As you began to stand up, Rob took the stage again, drawing more screams from the crowd. He picked up an acoustic guitar and made his way back to the microphone.

“I’ve got one more song to play for you tonight,” he announced as the screams grew louder. “We don’t really play this one live very often, but I wanted to play it for someone very special. She knows who she is.” He glanced to where you were sitting, giving a shy smile, and he began to play.

 _Hey darlin, what you doing here tonight?_  
_Your eyes are shining bright as the sun._  
 _Hey baby, won’t you look at me tonight?_  
 _Wont you make me feel like I’m the one…_

He sang through the song, not breaking his gaze toward you. You felt a warmth flow through you that you hadn’t felt before. The song was so sweet, and you had never had a man sing to you before. You were sure you were still blushing, but you made sure to keep your eyes on Rob as he secretly serenaded you.

_Hey darlin won’t you be with me tonight  
Wont you make me feel like I’m the one…_

He ended the song, looking at you for a second longer until he addressed the audience, thanking them before exiting the stage again.

* * *

As the crowd cleared out, you made your way to the greenroom that you had become so familiar with, heart still pounding. You entered the room, band and actors mingling excitedly, talking among themselves and laughing. You spotted Rob and made your way over to him.

“That was… amazing!” you complimented him.

“Aw, thank you!” he pulled you close to him, giving you a soft kiss on the lips. “I’m so glad you were there.”

“You didn’t tell me that you were that talented,” you said. Rob smiled, slightly embarrassed.

“I’m not that talented. I just have a really good band to make me sound good.”

You laughed, grasping his hand in yours.

“Thank you for the song as well…” you said shyly. “It was beautiful.”

“It’s an older song that we don’t really play live anymore, but it made me think of you,” he said, gazing into your eyes.

“Who is this?” a voice asked from behind you, you turned to see Jason and Jensen waiting for introductions.

“Hey guys, this is Y/N. Y/N, these are more of my friends,” he motionined toward the two men who had joined him on stage earlier. “This is Jason, and this devastatingly handsome one is Jensen.” You shook their hands as they said hello to you.

“It’s a pleasure,” you said, “and it was also a pleasure to hear you three sing _‘Tennessee Whiskey_ ’.”

“You like that one, huh?” asked Jensen taking a sip from the drink he was holding.

“Oh yeah, it’s got a special place in my heart.” You replied.

Jason handed you a drink, which you gladly accepted. “It’s such a great song, and perfect for playing in Nashville,” he said.

Jensen nodded in agreement, “we couldn’t do it as well as Stapleton, but we give it our best.”

You chuckled at that, “No, you guys really nailed it. You did it perfectly.”

“Well, you have a little twang in your voice, I suppose you’re a real country girl who knows what she is talking about.” Said Jason.

“Yeah, I am from Nashville…” you trailed off, considering if you should even bring up your next thought.

“Actually, I say that you nailed the song; because you did it with exactly the same emotion I felt when writing it with Stapleton.” You took a drink of your beer, raising an eyebrow at the three men. You normally didn’t mention that you were a songwriter to people that you had just met, you liked to remain anonymous in your profession. But the high that you still had from the concert, and the fact that these amazing men had sang one of the songs that you had written, brought you out of your shell if only for a moment.

“Shut up,” Jensen said, giving you an unamused look.

“Really?” asked Rob, “you co-wrote that with him?”

“Yeah, one of the many greats that I’ve been able to work with.”

“Y/N is a songwriter,” Rob explained to Jason and Jensen. “She… quote ‘writes songs for other people to sing and take credit for.’”

“That’s awesome!” exclaimed Jensen, leaning in a bit closer to you. “So, like, who else have you worked with? I’m somewhat of a country boy myself. I’m from Texas.”

Jensen pulled you away as he excitedly began to talk to you about music. It was nice really, having someone to talk to about country music. The two of you chatted. You shared stories about some of the artists you had written with and some of the songs that you had written for others. You were amused by the look on Jensen’s face, as if he were in the presence of someone to admire. After most of your stories had been told and Jensen had told you a little bit about himself, he got serious when he asked his next question.

“So, Rob talked about you a bit when I got here. I have to ask, what are you? His girlfriend or something? He didn’t really specify…”

“I’m… something… I guess,” you really didn’t know how to answer the question. You didn’t even know what you were. All you knew was that you really liked Rob, and apparently, he liked you too. You two had shared that amazing kiss earlier, but there was never any discussion on what it meant exactly.

Just then, Rob came to your rescue. “Excuse us Jensen, I’m going to take my lady now.” Your heart fluttered at his words.

Rob put his arm around you, tilting his head back at Jensen as he led you away.

“Do you want to stay for the after-party?” he asked.

“You know… I think I’m just going to head to bed. It’s late and you people haven’t let me sleep at all this weekend.”

Rob laughed, “okay, I’ll walk you back to your room then.”

The two of you slipped out of the greenroom without anyone noticing.

* * *

Rob kissed you when you got to your door. You returned the kiss eagerly, pulling him close.

“Well,” he said as he pulled away, “goodnight. I’ll see you in the morning?”

Something had come over you. You didn’t want him to leave. You held onto his shirt, holding him in his place.

“Stay with me,” you said, voice barely a whisper.

Rob cocked an eyebrow, “Stay with you?” he asked, slightly confused.

“Yes, stay the night with me.” You wrapped your arms around him, resting your head against his shoulder.

“I-I have to admit,” he stuttered, “I feel like I’m getting some very mixed signals from you tonight.”

It was true. Only hours earlier, you had hesitated to join him in his room, afraid that he might want to take things further than you were willing to go at the time. But right now, you felt safe. You wanted to keep feeling his touches, his lips… you wanted to keep him. Maybe it had been the way that you saw him onstage during his show; full of confidence as he performed, not at all like the adorable awkward man he was offstage. You told yourself that this was the reason why. A bigger part of you knew better. You only thought of two things… one, you didn’t want to be alone. You didn’t want to sit in your quiet room alone, because you knew that you would only think about the phone call with Chris and the fact that Kim had overheard the conversation. You would spend the night beating yourself up over all the things that you had done wrong. Two, you didn’t want to risk the chance for Rob to meet up with his friends if he left your side. What if he ran into Kim again? What if she took that chance to tell Rob what she had heard? Keeping Rob with you tonight would prevent both of those things. That’s not to say that you were just trying to avoid any further damage to your growing relationship with him, you really did want him. Your mixed signals were something that just happened. You were afraid, not of Rob, but more so afraid of the fact that this could all end just as badly as your last relationship.

“I know,” you said, “I’m so sorry. I was just so nervous earlier…” you trailed off. Rob ran a hand through your hair, resting his chin on the top of your head as you continued to hold him. “but then you kissed me…” you continued, “and I realized that I’m not afraid. I want you.” You looked up at him with those words. His eyes met yours and you could see the same look he had given you earlier right before he kissed you.

He nodded his head and you worked at opening the door to your room. Before you could do anything else, Rob hurried you in and immediately pinned you against the wall, the door shutting behind you. He held your arms above your head, against the wall as he began to kiss you passionately. You freed yourself from his grasp, pulling him as close to you as you possibly could.

When he realized that you wanted more, he pushed against you again causing you to throw your head back as you moaned at the sensation. This pushed him further. He began to trail deep kisses down your neck, stopping to nip at your skin occasionally, until you couldn’t take it anymore. You started to work feverishly at his clothes. You pulled his waistcoat off, letting it drop to the floor, and slowly worked at the buttons on his shirt. As you were undressing him, he stopped to look at you. He put a hand to your face, tilting your head up so that you were looking back at him, “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked. The fact that he asked if this was okay, and the real look of concern on his face made you absolutely sure.

“Yes, I want this. I need you,” you breathed as you managed to finish with the buttons on his shirt, tossing it to the ground as well. Rob pushed you back against the wall, reaching his hand up your skirt, cupping your ass. He lifted one of your legs and placed it at his hip, grinding into you again.

“F-fuck, Rob,” you stuttered. His lips crashed against yours again as his hands explored your body. He was everywhere; grabbing, pulling; until it had become too much to take anymore.

You pulled back from him, “Bed. Now.” You demanded. He grinned as he grabbed your hand, leading the way to the bed.

“You have too many clothes on,” he muttered, face nuzzled in the crook of your neck as he nipped at your skin. He stepped back and grabbed the bottom of your dress; and with one swift motion, pulled it over your head and discarded it in the corner. He reached behind you and unclasped your bra after a little bit of fumbling, throwing it over his shoulder when he finally succeeded. He stayed where he was and a took a moment to look at you. His eyes trailed up and down your body, taking you in.

You hadn’t felt so vulnerable in a long time. You couldn’t remember the last time someone had looked at you this way. You watched for any hint of disgust in his face, but he only darted his tongue out to lick his lips before he moved in closer.

“You are so fucking perfect,” he growled. Your heart began to race faster now. He began to walk you backwards until the back of your legs met the edge of the bed, sending you both crashing down. You hit the bed and cried out in surprise as Rob landed on top of you. You both laughed at the awkwardness of it all. “Ow,” you giggled.

“Sorry,” he apologized as he stood up. You leaned up on your elbows and watched him. He undid his jeans and let them fall at his feet, shooting you a mischievous smile. You worked your way up the bed as he crawled toward you, still smiling. When you reached the pillows, you stopped and allowed him to climb on top of you.

Rob began to kiss you again, this time a little slower. He massaged your breast as he kissed you sensually. You moaned into his mouth at the new sensation. You wanted him badly now. You grabbed for his boxers, tugging on them to indicate that he needed to take them off now. Rob obliged, standing again to remove them. Once he did, he slipped his fingers into the hem of your underwear and gently pulled them down. You became nervous again. You were completely exposed now. You couldn’t help but think to yourself that he might be turned off at seeing you this way. You thought he’d realize his mistake, and take off running. Instead, he placed a hand on your thigh, gently parting your legs so that he could return to his position on top of you. Having him this close to you made your stomach flip. You noticed that you were shaking now. Rob must have also noticed how nervous you were; because he stilled, looked you in the eyes, and said, “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

You thought for a moment. You were nervous as hell. You were shaking from the nervousness. But having him this close to you, in this way, felt… good. You had just not been with anyone physically for some time. Sure, you had just left a long-term relationship, but the physical part of it had ended a long time ago. In the end, your need for Rob overcame your nervousness.

“Please, Rob.” You spoke with confidence, “I want this.”

He smiled warmly at you, leaning down to give you a gentle kiss. “Are you ready?” he asked, making eye-contact again. You simply nodded.

You gasped as he entered you. You dug your fingers into his back, bracing yourself against the pressure. When he had filled you completely, he waited as you adjusted to his size. He returned to dropping kisses against your neck as you came down from the intense feeling of having him inside you. Your breathing began to steady as your body became more familiar with his. God, he felt so good. You closed your eyes and bit your lip as you lifted your head to give him better access to your neck. You waited for him to move, but he only continued to touch and tease you. You needed more. You bucked your hips against him to let him know that you were ready. He laughed, “someone’s eager,” he said as his teeth found your earlobe, gently nipping at it and tugging.

“Fuck…,” you gasped, “you need to move now.”

He didn’t hesitate. He wasn’t going to make you wait. You felt him pull out slightly, until the tip of his cock was just at your entrance. You breathed in sharply, aching at the loss of having him inside you. Before you could object, he thrust back into you.

“Oh, God!” you called out. You closed your eyes and your grip on him loosened. He pulled your face to his again and you opened your eyes. He watched you as he began to steadily fuck you, grinding into you as he kept eye contact, biting at his bottom lip. You stayed like that for a while. It was gentle at first. The feeling of having him watch you so intently washed away any insecurities or doubts that you had been feeling. He looked at you with genuine love in his eyes. He looked at you as if you were the most beautiful girl in the world.

You began to feel that almost unfamiliar pooling of heat in your belly. You knew that you were close, and you needed him even more now. “Rob,” you said softly, “harder.” He let out a moan and kissed you hungrily, and began moving his hips faster. He fucked you harder now, his breathing picking up. He was pounding into you, drawing loud gasps and moans from you with each thrust.

He took your mouth with his again. You kissed back eagerly, gripping onto the back of his neck, pulling him closer. You carded your fingers through his dark curls as you felt yourself losing control. You broke the kiss, throwing your head back as you cried out. Waves of pleasure rolled over you, your body trembling with your climax. You tightened around him, panting as his thrusting began to stutter. “Fuck, Y/N!” he called out as he came. He rode out his orgasm, muttering incoherent praises to you under his breath as he rested his forehead against yours.

After a while, he laid on top of you, both of you breathing heavily, trying to come down from your highs. You continued to run your hands through his hair as he mouthed lazy kisses along your neck. When you had finally caught your breath, he rolled over so that he was lying next to you, slipping an arm under your head as you nuzzled into him. Neither of you spoke. You just laid there, grazing fingertips along each other’s bodies. You turned your head to look up at him, to which he met you with a deep kiss. You rested your head back on his shoulder, feeling more content than you had ever felt before. Rob kissed your forehead and you closed your eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last day of the convention. The reader and Rob attempt to pin down what it is that they are. Is this just a fling, or could it be something more? Reader spends more time with Rob’s friends, getting to know them. Reader speaks more with Kim. When the convention ends, they talk about past relationships. But, can the reader be honest about her past?

When you woke up, you couldn’t help but feel a bit panicked. You had tried to roll over, only to realize that you couldn’t move. Rob was sprawled out on the bed, an arm and a leg draped over you so that you were practically pinned beneath him. It took you a moment to recall why he was there. Last night had felt like a dream. You had almost forgotten about you asking him to stay. Rob snored lightly next your ear, beard scratching against your shoulder. You smiled, remembering the amazing night you had shared with him. You considered waking him, knowing that he had to get down to the convention again today. But, glancing at the bedside alarm clock, you knew that there was still time. You moved in closer to him, closing your eyes in hopes of getting just a little more sleep.

After some time, and no luck with falling back asleep, you realized that you needed to get up. Your body ached from being unable to move beneath Rob’s body. You slowly began to move his arm away from you, trying hard not to wake the man. If you had been exhausted by this weekend, you couldn’t imagine what he must be feeling like. It seemed that the man never rested. Once you had succeeded in slipping out from beneath him, you stood up and found your pajamas, which you slipped into. You made your way to the couch, unsure of what to do now that you weren’t in bed. The sun was barely peeking through the curtains of the hotel room, it was still very early. There wasn’t much that you could do at this point, seeing as how you wanted to let Rob rest. So, you found your notebook on the table, grabbed a pen, and sat down.

You had been working on so many different lyrics over the past few days, many of them unfinished. You thumbed through the pages until you found something that you had started yesterday. You stared at the first lines, something that you had jotted down, just as a passing thought. You glanced back toward the direction of the bed; smiling fondly at Rob who hadn’t stirred. Putting the pen to paper, you started to quickly write down more lyrics that you had come up with.

You must have been writing for some time, lost in thought; because when you looked up from the notebook, you noticed that Rob was up. He was sitting in the bed now, leaned back against the headboard watching you.

“Sorry I woke you up,” you apologized, closing the notebook and returning it to the table.

“You didn’t wake me,” he said, “I just noticed that you weren’t in bed with me. I thought you may have run out on me for a minute there.”

You stood up and made your way back to the bed, crawling in next to Rob, “I wouldn’t run out, it’s my room.” You joked as you nestled into his side. He put his arm around your shoulder, tracing his fingertips down your arm.

He let out a small laugh, “okay, now I’m just waiting for you to tell me to leave.”

You frowned at him, “don’t leave. I want you to stay here.”

“I would love to stay here in bed with you all day,” he stated, “but I’ve got one more day of the convention to do.” He checked the time, “And I’ve got to go soon.”

“I just want to keep you all to myself,” you pouted. He laughed as he leaned down, catching your lips with his. You gladly returned the kiss, feeling your head swim as he nipped at your lips. You wished that the two of you could stay like this forever.

“You can, you know?” he whispered against your mouth, “keep me all to yourself, if you really want to.” 

You looked at him, searching for a sign that he was serious. Of course, you had thought about the possibility of you and Rob being long-term. People don’t just meet someone that they completely connect with every day. You felt lucky to have found him, and you had been constantly thinking about whether or not you could make this work. Even more, you had been wondering a lot about if he was even on the same page as you. Part of you thought that this was going to end soon. He didn’t seem like the type of guy… but this could very well have been just a convention hook-up for him. You questioned if things would change when this weekend was over.

“You say that now, but what happens tomorrow?” you asked.

“What do you mean? Tomorrow, I go back to L.A. And you go back to L.A. And we just hang out in L.A. together.” He was looking slightly uncomfortable now. “Unless… unless that’s not what you want.” He removed his arm from behind you, sitting up now, he began to rub his hands against his face.

“I didn’t say that, I just figured that this was a fling or something.” You explained. “I know a lot of celebrities, I know how these things usually go.”

“That’s not me,” he corrected you, “I’m not that guy.”

You didn’t know how to reply to him. You felt bad that you had offended him.

“Is that what you want, Y/N?” he looked at you, a hint of pain in his eyes, “You want to keep this just a fling?”

“I didn’t say that either. I just assumed.” You couldn’t look him in the face anymore. “It’s just… we just met. And this all moved so fast…”

Rob looked thoughtful for a moment. “Let me ask you something,” he turned toward you, staring into your eyes, “if I asked you, right now, what this…” he motioned between you and himself with his hand, “is… what would you say?”

Your heartbeat quickened with the question. You didn’t think that you would get to this point with him any time soon. Yes, the two of you had kissed and yes you had slept together already. But, you had brushed most of it off as heat of the moment situations. You were attracted to each other, you enjoyed each other’s company… but to be sitting here, being asked what “this” was, it had become a little too much. For a brief moment, you thought about lying to him. The words were on the tip of your tongue. Why couldn’t you tell him that, for you, this was just a fling? You had become so good at lying over the years. You thought about your last relationship, how badly Chris had treated you, how long you had stuck around for someone who didn’t care about you, and how your heart had been so damaged that you were now considering giving up this man who actually seemed to care about you. You had felt broken for so long, afraid that now, your brokenness would only ruin things with Rob. Meeting Rob had affected you greatly. You found yourself smiling more, you found yourself with something to look forward to each day. Those words that sat on your tongue didn’t make their way out. Something in Rob made it difficult to lie to him about this.

“I’d say that… I know that we rushed into things and this all happened so quickly,” you hesitated, searching for the right words, “but I like you. Last night was not a mistake, it happened because I like you so much,” you paused for his reaction. He only waited, watching you. “so, I guess that… this…” you imitated his motion from earlier, “this is… something.” You couldn’t find the right words, but the look on Rob’s face indicated that he understood what you meant.

“I feel the same way,” he beamed, “I-I feel like this could be a really good thing.”

You wanted to put a name to it… this thing with Rob. You wanted to be his and you wanted him to be yours. At the same time, you knew that you needed to tread lightly. You reminded yourself that you had just come from a bad situation, a situation that Rob had no clue about. You realized that he wasn’t even aware that you had literally just got out of a long relationship. You also remembered that apparently, Rob had come out of a relationship that sounded like it ended badly not long ago. You didn’t know details about that either. There was still so much that you didn’t know about each other. There was a lot about you that you weren’t sure you wanted him to know.

“Yeah,” you agreed, “I think we should definitely see where this goes. But, maybe we should slow it down a bit.”

“If that’s what you want,” he said, running his hand across your thigh. He peered up at you, giving you a sly look.

“What are you doing?” you giggled.

“I’m taking it slow,” he replied. He moved toward you, pushing you back onto the bed before pinning you down. He laid on top of you, bringing his mouth to yours. He kissed you slowly, tongue tracing your lips, nipping and sucking.

“You call this moving slowly,” you attempted to joke, but your words came out in between heavy breaths as he started to kiss down your neck.

“Yes,” he replied, “I’m going to make it nice and slow.”

“Hmm…” you hummed, “you’re going to be late.”

“I don’t care,” he argued.

Your breath caught as he sucked at your collarbone. You didn’t object. You let him touch you, let him continue to praise your body with his mouth. You didn’t care if he was late either. You urged him on, wanting more of him. Maybe taking it slow was no longer in the books with the two of you. But, you agreed with his sentiment, this could be a really good thing.

* * *

Rob was rushing around room when he realized that round two really had made him late. He scrambled around, searching for his clothing as you laid in bed, watching him with an amused smirk on your face.

“I told you you’d be late,” you reminded him.

“I’m not late yet,” he replied, “but by the time I get back to my room and get showered, I will be.” He finally found all of his items of clothing. Dressing quickly in last night’s clothes, he leaned over you, giving you one more kiss before he headed for the door.

“I’ll see you down there later,” he called as he opened the door, carrying his shoes in his hand.

“Enjoy your walk of shame,” you called after him with a grin.

“Haha,” he gave you a fake laugh as he hurried out.

You took your time getting ready for the day, feeling a tiny bit bad that Rob had to rush to make it to the convention in time.  As you worked on your hair, you remembered that you still hadn’t listened to Louden Swain, aside from the songs played at the concert last night. Thinking it was as good of a time as any, you thumbed through your phone, opening your music app. You searched for the band and was shocked to see that they had a lot of albums. You added all of them to your library and put the songs on shuffle before going turning back to the mirror. Eventually, you found yourself humming along to the songs, dancing in your bathroom. They were really good, of course you knew that already after seeing them play live. You smiled to yourself, thinking about how lucky you were to have a man like Rob. Not only was he cute, but he was talented and sweet. It felt good to realize that you had found someone who loves music as much as you did.

When you were ready, you headed downstairs. It had become almost a habit, a ritual. You took the same route as you did the past couple of mornings. Only this time, you didn’t feel as anxious and out of place as you had that first day. You felt like you belonged here although you still hadn’t watched the show. You made your way to the greenroom and your heart skipped, knowing that you would get to see him again very soon. The other volunteers had become familiar with you by now, and a few of them nodded as you entered the room, not trying to stop you to ask who you were.

The same group of people greeted you as you entered. Billy, Mike, Stephen, and Jason sat around their usual table; fiddling with instruments and phones. Osric, Ruth, Briana, and Kim occupied a couch; laughing among each other with their coffees. You paid them no mind as you scanned the room until you found Rob, who was talking to Rich in the corner.

“Hey,” you said as you approached him.

“There you are!” he grinned, pulling you in for a kiss, “I was beginning to think you weren’t gonna show.”

“Lost track of time,” you explained, “I was listening to your band in my room and just got sidetracked.”

He cocked his head at you, “Well, you’ve heard us live.”

“I know, but I wanted to hear some of your other songs… you’ve got a lot!”

“Yeah,” he laughed, “Maybe I’ll get to hear you sing something soon. It’s only fair…”

“What can I say,” you shrugged, “there hasn’t been a lot of time to sing for you.”

“You could do it now,” Rich interjected, “I mean, were on down time while Jared and Jensen do their panel.”

“Hmm…” you thought about it, “I think Rob meant that he wanted to hear me, like a private performance.”

Rich raised a brow, “I think he’s had plenty of private performances from you this weekend.”

You felt your face turn red, “W-what?” you stuttered, embarrassed at the implication.

Rob let out an annoyed sigh and shot Rich a scolding glare.

“What?!” Rich defended himself, “it’s not my fault I just happened to run into him this morning as he was just barely on his way back to his room!”

“He caught me doing my walk of shame,” Rob explained, giving you a sweet smile.

You felt a little less embarrassed as Rob reassured you. It was bound to happen eventually, people finding out about the two of you. Rich seemed so amused by the fact that Rob had spent the night with you that he really didn’t tease too much. Instead, he ushered you to the couch where Matt, Osric, and the girls were sitting. He grabbed Rob’s guitar, the one you had played the other day, and practically forced it into your hands.

“Come on, Y/N,” he pushed, “I know you’re a songwriter, but let us hear something… anything.”

“I-I don’t really know…” you argued, “I guess I could play one of the more popular songs I’ve written.”

“Play the one you were playing the other day,” Briana chimed in, “it was really good.”

“Oh, well, that one is new. I haven’t even finished the lyrics for it.” You looked around at disappointed faces.

“I’d like to hear something new. Have you finished anything from this weekend?” Rob asked, now looking excited at the possibility of hearing you sing.

“Uh, there’s one,” you said hesitantly, “but it’s kinda slow and kinda… depressing really.” You thought harder, kicking yourself for even bringing it up. It was the only song that you had finished since you arrived in Nashville, but it was the one song that had made you cry as your worked on it. At the time, you were still distraught over what had happened with Chris. This was before this thing with Rob began to pick up. You eyed him, looking for some encouragement.

Rob smiled back at you, “only if you want to,” he said. You felt a surge of confidence, knowing that you had written a great song; you decided that having this new group of friends hear it could only help you at this point. They could be your critics, they could let you know if it was any good.

“Okay,” you said, clearing your throat. You began to strum slowly, finding the tune before you began to sing.

You glanced up at Rob who was watching you with a look of awe. He was transfixed by you, listening intently. You smiled at him and continued, feeling even more sure now. _  
_

You carried out the last note, finishing the music. When you had finished the song, you glanced around the room at all the faces watching you. no one said anything, they just stared. You felt yourself becoming more anxious now. You seemed to sit awkwardly for some time before Rich broke the silence.

“Now that’s a country song!” he beamed, “that’s my girl!” he shouted as he put his hand on your shoulder. Everyone else laughed, now praising you for your songwriting and singing.

“You have an amazing voice, Y/N.” Matt assured you.

“Told you so,” added Kim. You glanced over to her, almost having forgotten about the conversation from yesterday. She only looked at you warmly, giving you a wink.

“Thanks guys,” you said, putting the guitar down, “it’s just something I had been working on, trying to perfect it so that I can see if anyone is interested in recording it.”

“Why would you want someone else to record it?” Osric asked curiously, “I mean, that was awesome. And it sounded… really personal.”

“That’s what I do,” you shrugged, “I just write the songs. Someone else sings them.”

“Did you ever think about just recording them yourself?” Rob asked. You looked at him, having almost forgotten he was standing there given how quiet he had been while everyone else applauded you on your song.

“No,” you stated simply, “I haven’t thought about that.”

“Well, you should. Consider it, I mean. It was a beautiful song, kinda sad… But your voice…” he trailed off, eyes searching you. He looked a bit sad.

“Like I said,” began Briana, “this girl has got a voice on her.”

“I think we’ve already established that I’m just a songwriter.”

You sighed heavily. They were only being nice, but you had been down this road before. When you first started writing songs, you had always performed them live at open mic nights. That was your thing, that’s what you did. Artists came out of the woodwork, interested in recording some of the songs. You found yourself slowly becoming just a songwriter. There was less focus on your singing, and more focus on your words. When you had met Chris, you thought about performing again. You had told him that you were tired of other artists taking your songs and making them their own. Especially when you constantly put so much of yourself in the lyrics. You had expected him to be encouraging, but you quickly learned that he wasn’t going to be. He often told you that you should just leave the performing to the professionals… the artists who actually had appeal.

“Some of us aren’t meant to be performers,” you stated.

“Maybe because you’ve never tried,” Rob said, almost cutting you off.

You didn’t mean to feel so attacked right now, he wasn’t attacking you. He was genuinely curious as to why you didn’t perform your own songs.

“Why are you pushing this?” you asked, annoyed.

“I-I’m not,” Rob stared at his feet, feeling bad for upsetting you, “I’m just wondering why someone with so much talent thinks that they couldn’t perform.”

“My talent is in songwriting. I’m not a singer. I don’t even have a very good voice,” you tried to defend yourself best you could, “besides, I’m not exactly the performer type.”

“I don’t know who told you that you didn’t have a good voice,” added Ruth, “but they’re idiots.”

“Look, I’ve worked with enough talent. I know what a great performer is, I know what it takes to be a star. I’m not it.” You motioned toward Rob, “Now that… that’s a great performer.”

Rob snickered at your comment as you continued, “Writing ability, a fantastic voice, not to mention that he’s a lefty that can play right-handed guitar. There’s also those good looks and great personality to go along with it.” You tried to lighten the mood a bit.

“Well, even if you don’t see yourself as a performer, you’ve got a great voice.” Rich said. “Maybe we can get you out there for SNS one of these days.”

You laughed, “Isn’t that reserved for the band and the cast?”

The tense moment had passed. You breathed a sigh of relief. This was just like you; making a big deal out of something not meant to be. They were all so nice, only meaning to make you feel better about your music. No one was attacking you or putting you down. You knew that you only reacted the way you did because of what you had been told for so many years. You wished there was a way to erase the constant nagging of Chris’ voice in the back of your mind. The one that always told you that you weren’t good enough, the one that always put you down. The group started to depart back to what they had been doing before your impromptu show. You relaxed as Rob sat next to you.

“You know, I really didn’t mean to upset you,” he said.

“You didn’t upset me,” you lied, “it’s just that… I know what I am. And it freaks me out to have attention like that.”

“I get it…” he trailed off. He took your hand in his, “I have to ask though, do you write a lot from personal experience?”

“Always. That’s the best way to write. You do the same, right?” you asked him, curious about his own songwriting.

“Yeah, I do.”

You leaned against him, “Like your song from last night, “She Waits…” that was an extremely personal song, I could tell. I loved the emotion you put into it.”

“That’s a tough one to do, every time. But, yeah, it’s very personal.”

“There’s no point in writing lyrics if you’re not putting a bit of yourself in them.” You continued.

“Who was that song about? Or- what was it about? It was… really sad.” He looked concerned now as he ran his fingers over your knuckles.

“It, uh- it’s about someone who broke my heart.” You said softy. “Like any other great country song, I guess.” You faked a laugh as you recalled the moment you started writing it. You had been hurting when you arrive in Nashville. You wrote it because you really did feel like having a heart was a burden at that point.

“And you wrote it when you got here?” You could tell that he was trying to piece things together. You and he had shared a connection almost immediately on that first day in Nashville. But he also knew that you had written this song while here.

“Yeah,” you thought about what to say next. This was a real moment of truth. Do you say that it was just a song about a long-lost love, perhaps one that ended some time ago? Or do you risk telling him that you had literally just broken up with your boyfriend of five years the day that you met Rob? You couldn’t know how he would take that. You didn’t know what he would think of you. he could very easily be disgusted that you had slept with him just days after your breakup. You didn’t want to do anything to risk losing him, and you really had become so good at lying. But there it was again. That look in his eyes that made you feel like it was impossible to lie to him.

“Actually, maybe there’s something I should tell you. I feel like you deserve an explanation… about everything.” Your heart began to race at your own words. This was it. You were going to be honest with Rob.

“Hey, Rob?” You both glanced up from your conversation to see Billy standing in front of you awkwardly, “I don’t mean to interrupt, but we’ve got to get out there.”

“Oh, yeah, of course.” Rob shook his head, standing up, still holding your hand. He looked at you, “we’ll talk later. I think there’s a lot that I should be honest with you about as well.” He gave your hand a squeeze before letting go, hurriedly walking out of the room with the band.

* * *

While the band was gone, you wandered around the greenroom aimlessly. Checking out the setup, and stopping to talk to Rob’s friends more. Misha made an appearance, greeting you politely as he had before. You had also met Jared for the first time when he and Jensen entered the room after their panel. You had thought Jensen was officially the tall one after meeting him last night, but you were intimidated by Jared’s size.

“Jare, this is Y/N,” Jensen introduced you. You reached your hand out for a handshake, but the man pulled you into a very tight hug.

“This is the girl, huh?” Jared questioned, “the one Rob won’s shut up about?”

“I don’t think he talks about me that much…” you said.

“Yeah, right. It’s really kinda annoying. But I’ve met you now, and I can see why he won’t shut up.”

You blushed yet again. You had yet to meet one of Rob’s friends who might simply not be nice to you. They really did all seem like a big family. You realized that they all actually liked each other and they really looked out for each other.

As Jared and Jensen were rushed off for photo ops, it was Kim who found you again.

“Hey, Y/N,” she said hesitantly.

“Hey, Kim,” you replied, acting as chipper as you could.

“I just want you to know that I didn’t say anything to Rob.”

“I know,” you said, “thanks for that. Whatever you heard is something that he should hear from me. And he will, okay?”

“You’re going to tell him?” she asked.

“I’ll tell him what I feel he needs to know,” you hinted that you would at least tell him about the breakup.

“What about the other stuff?” she asked. You tilted your head, pretending that you didn’t know what she was talking about. “You know, the heavy stuff… the stuff that you pretended I didn’t hear?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” you lied. Yes, you still had the ability to pretend that something that happened didn’t actually happen. You weren’t so much lying to anyone else, you were just really good at lying to yourself. In the end, you figured that wouldn’t hurt anyone else.

Kim let out an exasperated sigh, “Y/N, it’s nothing to be afraid of talking about.”

“I’m fine,” you found your voice beginning to raise at her, “okay? It’s nothing. It doesn’t matter.”

“Okay,” ‘she threw her hands up in defeat. You had mastered the art of making people feel like they were talking to a brick wall. It was your defense mechanism. Denial worked so well for you in the past, and it seemed to be working now. All you could do was wait for Kim to just stop trying to bring it up. then you could go back to pretending none of it ever happened.

* * *

Later that night; after the convention had ended, the last panels were done, the final autographs signed, and the remainder of the photo ops were finished; you and Rob walked together toward your room. You were worried, you knew that you had agreed to be honest with him, and he had mentioned that there were some things that he should be honest with you about. Your nerves started to act up just thinking about what he had to tell you. Whatever his story was, it couldn’t be worse than yours. Unless he turned out to be married or something.

You let him into your room where he immediately jumped on you. He kissed you intensely, hands touching every part of your body. But you couldn’t focus on the intimacy at this point. You kissed him back before pushing him away.

“You okay?” he asked looking slightly confused.

“I’m fine,” you assured him, “it’s just, this is your last night in Nashville. We said we’d talk some more. I think we both have some things to tell each other.”

“Yeah,” he agreed.

You found yourselves lying in bed, talking about yourselves more, getting to know each other better.

“The girls said that this weekend was the happiest that they had seen you in a while,” you brought up your conversation that had left you curious for some time.

“Oh, yeah. Well, that’s the thing that I wanted to talk to you about,” he leaned up on his elbow, looking at you. “about a year ago, I split with someone… it was a pretty serious relationship. We were engaged…” he paused, taking a deep breath, “I was pretty broken up over it. But there were… a lot of lies… like, I can’t be in a relationship where honesty is impossible. In the end, I just had to walk away. You can’t go through something if you don’t know if it’s real or not,” he studied your face, waiting for a reaction, “I’ve been single the past year. You’re the first person that I’ve actually been interested in since.”

You gave him a smile. Now you felt terrible. His truth was nowhere near as terrible as yours. His past didn’t make him a bad person. You only hoped that he would feel the same about yours.

“I wasn’t supposed to come to Nashville alone,” you blurted out. It was now or never. He tilted his head, waiting for you to continue, “I was at the airport back home, I was waiting for someone… my… ex.” You shifted your gaze away from him, you couldn’t bear to look at him. Hearing yourself say this out loud was bad enough. “He didn’t show up. Instead, he called me and said he wasn’t coming because he was leaving me for someone else. Five years, and he was suddenly done. It had been bad for a while, but we were going to come here to work on us. I should have known that there was nothing left to fix. So I came here alone, turned it into my own single-girl vacation,” you laughed uncomfortably. “I meant to take the week to just focus on myself, write music, and just enjoy Nashville.”

“You didn’t mean to meet me?” Rob’s question was more of a statement.

“No… but I did.” You shrugged. “And I really started to like you, and that scared me.”

“Which is why you kept running off?”

“Yeah, God,” you could feel the tears well up in your eyes again, “you must think I’m so pathetic. I mean, I just came out of a relationship and almost immediately fall into this with you.”

“I don’t think you’re stupid,” He brought your hand up to his lips, kissing your knuckles. “I think that you’re incredibly brave. Sounds like you just had your heartbroken, but you weren’t afraid to give me a chance anyway.”

“So, you don’t think that I’m a horrible person for rushing into this with you? I mean, I literally just became single the day I met you.”

“No way, I’m… happy, as terrible as that sounds,” he started getting flustered, “not happy about what you went through, just… happy that it happened in time for our paths to cross.”

“You’re sweet…” you whispered. You pulled his face down to yours, brushing your lips against his slightly, “I’m happy too. You make me very happy.”

He met your lips and kissed you deeply. Honesty had actually went really well. Rob didn’t think of you any less and he was still here. You felt better having gotten that off your chest, it had been eating at you for a few days.

“Can I stay the night again?” Rob asked, stroking your cheek.

“Of course,” you replied as you ran your hands through his hair again, “I need to spend all the time with you that I can before you leave tomorrow.”

Rob frowned as he remembered that he had a flight to catch back to L.A. in the morning, “Can’t you trade in your plane ticket and come back to L.A. with me?”

You had thought about this already, in fact, the idea had been prevalent in your mind since yesterday. But, in the end, you chose to stay in Nashville for the rest of your vacation.

“I could… but I really need to stay for the rest of the week,” you explained. “I haven’t gotten much work done, and maybe not having you around as a distraction for a few days will help.”

Rob pouted for a moment before he started in on your neck again, “fine,” he said in a muffled voice as he kissed down your neck to your chest. You gasped out loud at the feeling, not about to push him away again. “But that means I’m going to distract you tonight.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rob returns to L.A. while the reader stays in Nashville for the remainder of her trip. Reader finds herself in a terrifying situation and believes that she only has one person to turn to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rob returns to L.A. while the reader stays in Nashville for the remainder of her trip. Reader finds herself in a terrifying situation and believes that she only has one person to turn to.

When Monday morning came around, you found yourself in a poor mood. You had woken up to Rob draped over you again, which made you smile. He made you feel happy and safe. But your happiness washed away quickly when you remembered that it was Monday, which meant he was leaving today. You nestled up against him again while he continued to sleep, not wanting this moment to end. Your moment was cut short however; when Rob’s alarm went off, waking him.

“I’ve got to go pack,” he stated, rubbing his eyes. “I’ve been here so much that I’m not even ready to catch my flight yet.” With that, he got up and began dressing quickly.

You watched him from the bed, “I could get used to watching you scramble around my room looking for your clothes.”

“I could get used to it too,” he said as he winked at you.

“You sure you don’t wanna come back to bed, just for a little while?” You placed your hand on his spot next to you, rubbing circles in the sheets indicating that you wanted him back in bed.

“You know I do,” he sighed as he began to put his phone and wallet back into his pockets. “Meet me downstairs in 20? So I can say goodbye before I head to the airport?” He gave you a half-smile.

“Sure, I’ll meet you at the same place we met for the first time.” You grinned.

Rob let out a chuckle as he remembered your first meeting, “Ah, you’re so romantic.” He walked over to you and gave you a quick kiss before leaving again.

* * *

You found yourself at the hotel lobby before Rob had made it down, standing in the same spot that you had promised to meet him at. Sure, it was sort of corny; but if anyone could appreciate the sentiment, you knew it was Rob. You waited for some time before you saw some familiar faces enter the lobby.

“Hey guys!” you said cheerfully as Billy, Mike, and Stephen walked toward you. You hadn’t had a lot of time to talk to Rob’s friends over the weekend, but you had managed to talk music with these guys at one point. It had been a long and deep conversation. If nothing else, at least you had music in common with these men.

“Hey, Y/N, how are you?” Mike asked.

“I’m well. Just waiting for Rob.”

“Yeah, he’s been running late a lot this weekend,” Stephen added, smiling at you.

You laughed at the fact that you knew that you were the reason behind this. But you didn’t feel shy about it anymore. Sure, Rob’s friends still teased you endlessly; which always made you blush like crazy, but you were feeling a lot more comfortable around them now. The long conversations during their downtime in the greenroom had helped your anxiety about getting to know his friends a lot better. You had talked to these people so much that you sort of already felt like you fit into their little family somehow.

“Gonna go check out,” Stephen said as he headed to the front desk, Mike right behind him.

“Hey,” said Billy, who was still standing with you as his friends walked away, “I just wanted to let you know that Rob really is into you.”

“I know,” you said, “I’m pretty into him too.”

“Good, because… he’s a good guy. He’s had a rough go of it lately, but this weekend… it’s probably the best mood I’ve ever seen him in,” Billy assured you, “Hell, that was probably the best show we’ve done in years.”

You looked down at your shoes, a little embarrassed by Billy’s confession. You felt your heart swell a little bit at the fact that Rob had been in such a great mood because he had met you.

“I’m sure you guys are always great,” you argued.

“No, really. I think you’re good for him. He needs a good woman in his life.” You glanced up at Billy who was smiling warmly at you, “and, the rest of us really like you too.”

“Thanks,” was all you could manage in reply.

“Better go check out, see you around soon.” Billy said as he also headed for the front desk.

You smiled to yourself as he walked away. They were all so nice to you, something that you weren’t sure you really deserved. Yes, you and Rob had decided to see where this ‘thing’ between the two of you went, but it was not something set in stone. There was no name to it, no definition of what you were… but his friends seemed to have accepted you as one of theirs. This was something new to you. You didn’t have many friends, and the friends that you did have at one point were all but lost as you drove them away during your relationship with Chris. It had been easier to be alone at that time than it was to deal with his constant need to control you.

You were startled from your thoughts by a pair of hands snaking around your waist, which made you yelp.

“Didn’t mean to scare you,” Rob promised as you turned to meet him, you only wrapped your arms around his shoulders with a smile.

“It’s okay,” you said. You made sure to look into those gorgeous blue eyes for a little longer than usual. You were going to miss him. Your heart ached a bit, knowing that he was leaving and you would spend the next four days without him around.

“I’ll see you when you get back to L.A.?” he asked, pulling you in closer.

“You’ll be the first person I call,” you replied.

You brought your hands to his face, taking a moment to run your fingers across the patch of gray in his beard that you had found yourself becoming weirdly obsessed with. He smiled and you pulled his face to yours, meeting his lips in a deep kiss. It only made the ache in your chest grow. Four days. Four days you had known him. In those four days, you had found yourself falling in deep with this man. You found yourself feeling lonely when he wasn’t with you. It was crazy really, but now all you could think about was if you could get through four more days without him.

“I should go check out. The guys are waiting, I’m sure our car is here…” he trailed off. You could tell he was hesitant in leaving you.

“Go,” you insisted, “before I change my mind and make you stay.”

Rob smiled at you, giving you another kiss. As he started to walk away, he stopped in his tracks to rush back to you. “I forgot,” he spoke quickly, “I have something for you.” He started to rummage through one of his bags until he found what he was looking for.

He held out a book to you which you gladly accepted. It was a brown leather-bound journal. You opened it, flipping through its empty pages, not really understanding.

“I got this for myself a while ago, thinking I would need a new one soon… but I noticed that your notebook was almost filled. I thought you could use it while you’re here.”

You felt yourself smiling hard. You looked up at Rob, genuine appreciation in your eyes. It may not have been a fancy gift that was even meant for you in the first place, but the fact that he had noticed that you needed a new one really meant something to you. You loved that he paid attention to those little things and that he was willing to give up what was his so that you could keep doing what you did.

“It’s perfect,” you whispered, “thank you.”

Rob smiled at you again, leaning in for one more kiss. And in just moments, he was gone.

You stood in the same spot for some time, replaying everything in your head. The moment you glanced up from the ground and saw those blue eyes, running into him again at the bar, watching him on stage all weekend, meeting his friends, that first kiss, and the nights you spent together. Behind your smile, the ache was still there. Hopefully you could hold out for the next few days.

* * *

The next four days went slowly and rather painfully. You found yourself missing Rob more than you had thought you would. Your days were filled with writing. Eventually, you had needed a new notebook when your old one filled up quickly. You smiled to yourself every time you opened that leather-bound journal to write. You worked tirelessly on music. Some days, things flowed freely; other days, you grew frustrated and antsy. Your nights were lost in long phone conversations with Rob, who would call you in between working on various projects. You didn’t get to talk on the phone as often as you had thought you would. He was a busy man. But, when you did talk late at night, it was for hours at a time; just talking about everything and anything.

During the times that you just couldn’t sit and focus on music, you would huddle up in bed with your phone and watch ‘Supernatural’. You had started from season 1, even though you found out that Rob’s character didn’t even show up until season 4. Rob insisted that you watch from the beginning or you would be lost. You were overwhelmed when you found out that there were already 12 seasons of the show.

You also found yourself suddenly dodging phone calls and text messages from Chris. You hadn’t heard from him since Saturday, but by Monday evening, he was blowing up your phone. It was just like him to know the perfect moments to come along and try to ruin things. A few times, you had considered answering his calls. But thinking about Rob made you take a different route. You were constantly ignoring his calls. Unfortunately, the text messages were harder to avoid. Even when you’d see his name pop up on notifications, you couldn’t help but skim through what he was sending you. You really wished you hadn’t read them. They weren’t nice and often were so cruel, that you found yourself crying over them. Sometimes they were weirdly sweet, complimenting you on your looks; most times, they were threatening to point that it made your skin crawl. You never replied. You felt a little stronger knowing that you didn’t have to reply to him or answer his calls.

By Wednesday afternoon, you had become so adept in screening calls and text messages, that it felt like a bad habit. But you stood your ground, refusing to keep contact with him. That is, until one text message caught your attention…

_Chris: I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. I’ll be waiting at home._

You felt your chest tighten at the words. You had told him to be gone before you returned home, but you should have known better. He lived there just as much as you did. He had a key, he could come and go as he pleased. In his moment of wanting you back, he wasn’t going to listen to you. You knew that he could very well still be at the house when you got home tomorrow. You felt nauseated suddenly at the thought. You felt yourself begin to panic, tears welling up at the thought of being face to face with him when you got home. Your first instinct was to call Rob, which you found yourself doing almost immediately after reading the text.

“Hey, Y/N,” came his voice on the other end. You let out a ragged breath when you heard him.

“Hey, Rob.”

“What’s up? What are you doing?” he asked cheerfully.

“N-nothing, I just… I just wanted to hear your voice.”

“Is everything okay?” he asked, pausing for a moment, “you sound upset.”

“I’m okay,” you thought about telling him everything. You thought about telling him about Chris and the phone calls. You thought about telling him about the possibility of Chris being at your house when you got home. You thought about telling him how afraid you were. In the end, you still didn’t want him to know about this part of your past… and your present apparently. “I just really needed to hear your voice.”

“Aw, I miss you too.” He sighed. “One more day though, right? We get to see each other tomorrow night.”

“Y-yeah,” you stuttered, still trying hard to hold back tears.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked, you could almost see his brow raise as he questioned you.

“I’m just having a really rough day.” You choked out. You couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. You found yourself crying openly over the phone.

“Y/N, it’s okay,” he reassured you, “please don’t cry,” now he sounded upset.

You took in a deep breath, attempting to calm yourself. You hadn’t meant to make him worry, but hearing his voice sent you over the edge. Yes, you missed him terribly, but you knew you were going to see him soon. The real issue was that text. The gut feeling that you had that when you returned home, things could go really bad. However, you couldn’t bring yourself to tell Rob the truth. Not this time.

“I know,” you said, drying your eyes on the back of your hand, “I’m just being stupid. I’m sorry to bug you with this.”

“Never be sorry for bugging me,” he replied, “I like when you bug me.”

You laughed half-heartedly, sniffling a little.

“I’ll let you go,” you said softly, “I just wanted to hear your voice.”

“Call me again if you need to hear it more,” he insisted. You smiled. He really was the sweetest.

“Okay, bye. I’ll see you soon,” you said, you felt calmer just hearing him. And having him confirm that you would see each other soon helped a lot.

“see you soon, beautiful.”

You ended the call, letting out a loud sigh. He had made you feel better, but the message you had received lingered in your mind. Chris was pretending that nothing had happened, something that he did often. There were countless times when he would leave or the two of you would fight, and he would come back days later, pretending that all was well. He would become sickeningly sweet, buying you things, telling you that you were beautiful… and you fell for it every time. It was a vicious cycle that never ended with him. But, you knew that you were as much to blame considering you had always taken him back and forgiven him.

This time, you weren’t about to allow him to do this again. Especially now that you had Rob. So, with shaky hands, you found his number in your contacts and hesitantly pushed the call button.

Your heart raced, tears struggled to escape as the phone rang. You intended to be strong. You knew you had to be firm and insist that it really was over and that he needed to leave. When he answered the phone, all of your bravery disappeared. You found yourself turning back into that broken girl who couldn’t stand up to him.

“Y/N, I thought you’d never call me back. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.” Chris’ voice came through, sounding too cheerful. Your stomach turned at the words. “Y/N? Baby, are you there?”

“Don’t call me that,” you whispered. Your voice was gone, as it often was when you spoke to him. You wondered what had happened to the girl who stood up to him just days ago. Perhaps you felt less brave knowing that he was possibly waiting at your house for you.

“Why are you being like this, Y/N?” He kept his voice tender and sweet. You had to remind yourself that this is what he did. This is what he always did. It was his way of making you feel like the crazy one.

“I-I told you to leave me alone,” you stuttered.

“Why would I leave you alone? I’m here, at home… just waiting until I get to see you tomorrow.” You closed your eyes and flinched at this revelation. He really was doing this, and you had to make it stop.

“You need to leave my house,” you felt some of your bravery returning. It wasn’t much, but you felt safer on the end of a phone call, “I want you to get your things and leave.”

He was silent for a moment, “why would you say that?”

“Are you kidding me?” you spat out, “you left, and I am done now. I already told you I was done.”

He was quiet again, this time for a lot longer.

“Did you hear me?” you asked, feeling anxious now, “I want you to leave and never contact me again.”

More silence. You choked on the tears you were holding back. Beginning to cry as he remained silent. Covering your mouth to stifle the sobs, Chris took that as his cue.

“I’m not going anywhere,” his voice was no longer kind, it had turned threatening very quickly.

“Please,” you cried, “please just leave me alone.”

You could almost hear him grinning over the phone, “good, you’re frightened. I’ll just see you when you get back tomorrow.” The line went dead as he hung up.

You dropped your phone; sinking down onto the floor of your hotel room, as you sobbed into your hands. He was serious. You also knew him well enough that things were quickly going back to how they had been months ago. Fear raced through your body. At least at this point, you had a number of choices. You could return to your home, where you knew he was waiting for you, and see what would happen. A large part of you knew that this would not go in your favor. This would also mean that you would continue to avoid telling Rob the whole truth. Another option was to get law enforcement involved. Say that you feared for your safety, send them to your home, and risk that information getting out into the public. Now, you weren’t famous by any means; but your name was one that people would notice if it ended up in police reports. Your other option was to confess everything to Rob, and hope that he would help you.

Your head began to hurt. You thought mainly about your relationship with Rob. Your ran your options through your head repeatedly, weighing the pros and cons of each one. Given your history with Chris, going home when you knew he was there was no longer an option. You had to rule that one out, especially when just thinking about the possibilities of what could happen filled you with so much fear that you felt like you couldn’t breathe. Involving the police was a stretch for you. You weren’t sure why you even considered it. Word would get out and everyone would know that you were a victim. Who knows what that could do to your career?

You were left with one option. Tell Rob and hope that he could help. Of course, this too came with its own pros and cons. You wondered if he could continue this with you if he knew the truth, the truth that you had been keeping from him. You also took into consideration that you had known each other for almost a week, and this was some really heavy stuff to confide in someone with. Your fear of losing Rob over something like this ate at you. How could he continue to care about you if he found out how damaged you were?

Sitting for hours, thinking things through, and unable to decide between your options; you began to feel defeated. It was almost as if your choice was meant to be impossible. And then, you remembered that you might have had one other option. There might be one other person who could help you. You didn’t want to call her. God knows, you wanted to avoid this conversation with her at all costs.

Ultimately, your fear and your confusion won. You picked up your phone, searching through until you found her number.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a terrifying phone call from her ex, the reader turns to the one person that knows about her past. She receives advice on what to do, but will she follow through with telling Rob the whole truth?

You were shaking as the phone rang. You thought about hanging up, knowing that you had been pretty rude to her when the topic had been brought up just days ago. At this point, she was the only one who had a vague idea of what you were dealing with, and she had seemed so willing to help before. You wanted to do all you could to keep the situation quiet and to keep Rob out of it. 

“Hey, Y/N!” You froze for a moment when you heard Kim answer. “You there?”

“Y-yeah, sorry Kim,” you sputtered. You were nervous now. Nervous about asking for help and for having been so terrible about everything when you denied what she had overheard.

“What’s up?”

“Uh, um,” you found it was difficult to find the right words, but you pushed on, “I was wondering if I could get your advice on something…”

“Sure, I’m pretty good at giving advice.” She laughed.

“Do you remember that phone call that you overheard in my hotel room?”

“Yeah…” she seemed to be treading lightly.

“And I told you that you misheard a part of it?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“Well, what you heard was exactly what it sounded like.”

Kim was quiet for a moment, “Okay?”

“I keep getting phone calls and messages from Chris.” You spat out. You began to feel afraid again, not only because of the threatening way he spoke to you, but also because you were being honest with Kim. You were about to be honest with her about something that you hadn’t even been honest with yourself about.

“Have you talked to Rob about this?” She questioned.

“No, I haven’t. I don’t know how to. I don’t want to scare him off.” You said as you felt your tears returning.

“You really need to. He’ll understand. Did you talk to Chris?” Kim’s voice sounded slightly panicked. 

“Y-yeah. I tried to tell him to back off, that he had to leave me alone. Actually, I’m calling you because… because I’m really scared right now.” Your voice became soft again. Just remembering the tone in his voice when he pointed out that you were afraid and he would be waiting for you, had your skin crawling.

“What happened?”

“He’s acting as if nothing happened. He keeps saying that he is waiting at the house for me when I get back. I tried to tell him to leave. But he’s not taking no for an answer.”

“You need to talk to Rob. You need to Y/N.” Kim’s voice became louder. She was desperately urging you to tell Rob the truth, something that you still weren’t sure you could do.

“I’m just afraid. I don’t know what he will do to me…”

“What exactly happened that is making you so afraid?”

“He used to hit me. He’s not a good guy. It’s taken me some time to fully understand this. It’s taken me meeting Rob to realize how afraid I am of Chris.” There it was. The truth. It felt a whole lot better to say it out loud than you had expected. 

“You think he will hurt you again?”

“I know he will. That’s why I can’t go home knowing that he is there waiting for me.”

“Okay, I’ll say this again. You need to tell Rob everything. He needs to know. And you need to call the cops. If you feel like you are in danger of this man, you need to protect yourself. I understand that you don’t want Rob involved in this. But he is crazy about you, he is in this with you now, because I know that this will not harm the way he feels about you.” Her words were somewhat reassuring. Despite all of your doubts that you had about him sticking around in spite of this mess, you knew that Kim knew him better than you did. Maybe she was right. Maybe all you needed to do was be completely honest with Rob.

“I just don’t want him to know how pathetic I am. He looks at me like I am perfect, like I am the greatest thing to ever happen to him. He can’t know how stupid I’ve been and how damaged I am.”

“You are not stupid. This man has hurt you, and that’s not your fault.”

“But I stayed. I always went back…” You began to cry again. Realizing your own stupidity was not something that you had done before. 

“Again, not stupid. That’s how abuse works. They scare you into thinking there’s no way out. But there is, and you know that you can get out of this. You just have to find an ounce of bravery and do something to stop it.”

“What do I do?”

“Tell Rob. And then you get a restraining order against your ex immediately.”

“How do I tell him?” You felt lost suddenly. You didn’t know how to tell the man that you were falling in love with that your ex had been abusive in your relationship and now he was threatening you.

“You just tell him,” she said simply, “you just tell him the truth and he will be there for you. I know he will.”

“okay…” you mumbled, only half believing her.

“I’m going to find out more about how to get a restraining order against him. I’m going to help you. You call Rob, make sure you have somewhere to stay when you get home tomorrow and don’t go to your house. I’ll let you know what we need to do.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll call you soon, just be safe.”

“Thank you, Kim.”

“You’re welcome, honey. Try to rest.”

You hung up, feeling a wave of something like relief come over you. You weren’t sure why, but you felt a bit safer. Kim didn’t have to go through the trouble of helping you, but she was going to do it anyway. For once, you felt like you belonged somewhere, like you had people who cared for you. You only hoped that she was right about Rob.You found Rob’s number, and pushed the call button. _“He’s going to think I’m insane for calling him so much in one day_ ,” is all you could think as the phone rang. But he answered.

“Y/N? Needed to hear my voice again? Well, here it is.” He chuckled lightly. You couldn’t help but smile. He was such a goof, and so sweet.

“Rob…” you thought about how to approach the conversation, you eventually decided that just saying it right away would make it easier, “I really need you right now…”

“What do you mean? What’s going on?” you could hear a slight panic in his voice.

“I’m okay right now,” you tried to reassure him, “I just…” You thought hard about what to say next. Should you spill your guts about the details right now? Maybe there was a way to avoid all of that, at least over the phone. You knew honesty was important to Rob, you understood that. But maybe it was all too much. Maybe putting this on him would be too much considering you just met the man. You somewhat believed what Kim had said to you, Rob is a great guy. He could very well be there for you through this.

“I was wondering… if you could maybe just pick me up from the airport tomorrow.” You continued, hoping he wouldn’t push for a reason why.

“Yeah, of course I can do that,” you could almost hear him smile over the phone, “You need a ride to your house when you get back?”

You felt your chest tighten again, “no, no… I can’t go home yet. I was thinking of just setting myself up at a hotel for a bit when I get back.”

“A hotel?” Rob sounded confused as he questioned you, “Why would you go to a hotel?”

“I just… my ex… he lived with me. He’s not quite moved out yet, and I don’t want to run into him.” There it was. Not a complete lie, but you definitely managed to avoid the whole truth. You suddenly felt terrible, as if you had lied to him. Rob was quiet for a moment, probably going over all of this in his head, wondering why you needed to stay away from your own house. 

“That’s silly Y/N. You’ve been in a hotel room for a week, you don’t need to spend more time in one.”

“I know, but… it’s complicated.”

“Look, if you’re okay with it, just come stay with me for a bit.” You could tell Rob was nervous by his offer. 

“Really?” you asked, “wouldn’t that be moving things a little too quickly?”

Rob laughed, “I practically lived in your hotel room for days. I think we’re beyond rushing into things. Besides, it might be nice to have some company around the house…” he trailed off. You began to wonder if he had lived alone for a long time. You knew that things ended with his ex over a year ago, but that didn’t mean that there weren’t other women at some point. 

“I really don’t want to intrude,” you insisted.

“You won’t! It might be a good way to get to know each other better.” You had to smile at his persistence. It sort of seemed like he just really wanted you to stay with him.

“Okay… only if you’re totally okay with it.” 

“I am. You can just stay with me until he’s gone. I even have a guest room you can use… if you want to, I mean.” Rob became nervous at he stuttered over his words. You raised your eyebrow at his offer, silently laughing to yourself.

“Just as we are far past taking things slow, I think we are far past sleeping in separate rooms.” You giggled.

“Ha, I guess you’re right.”

You both stayed silent for a moment until Rob broke the quiet.“I really miss you. Maybe it’s crazy, maybe we’re crazy… but I feel like I’ve known you for so long… and I just really miss you.” His voice softened to the point where he almost sounded sad. 

“Are we crazy for rushing into this?” You followed up on his sentiment, “I mean, it feels right… but I can’t help but think that it’s too much.”

Rob sighed, “I get it. It does feel like it’s too much sometimes.” You smiled, feeling better knowing that you were both on the same page, “but maybe we’re just making up for lost time.”

You hummed in agreement, feeling a lot better about all of this now. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” you asked.

“For sure. Just send me your flight details, and I’ll be there. I promise.” The heaviness you were feeling after your conversation with Chris began to lift. Knowing that you had this man that you had met by chance on your side and willing to do this for you; it meant the world to you. You hadn’t had someone like him in your life in such a long time. 

“Okay, bye.” You said, not really wanting to hang up.

“Bye sweetness.” Your heart fluttered at his words. As you hung up the phone, you couldn’t wipe the smile off your face. 

Knowing that you would see him tomorrow helped you sleep easier than you had in the past few days. You pushed the thoughts of Chris out of your mind, and for once, dreamt of only good things.

* * *

Your flight had been brutal. Mostly because of the pertinent fear that you had of flying, but also because it seemed longer than it really was. You knew it was because you were anxious to see Rob. You spent your flight listening to his band on your phone and working on some lyrics that you had thought about after your phone call with Rob. Your mind drifted back and forth between the lyrics and thoughts of Rob. At one point, you made yourself anxious by thinking of the possibility that Chris could very well show up at the airport. He had said he would be waiting for you, he knew your flight information, there was no reason why he wouldn’t actually meet you at the airport. Your stomach turned at the thought, and it only became worse since you often got queasy just from flying. When these thoughts became too much for you, you forced yourself to stop playing out these possibilities. You focused on your lyrics. 

* * *

When you arrived at the airport, you rushed to baggage claim where you said you would meet him. It took only a moment to find his face in the crowd of people. He greeted you with a huge smile, and you did the same. As you approached him, he wrapped his arms around you, squeezing you until you almost couldn’t breathe. You laughed and locked your eyes with his. God, how you had missed those eyes, that smile, him in general. You felt safe again just having him there. 

“Hi!” you said joyfully. 

Instead of responding, he pulled you in for a kiss. As his lips met yours, you felt yourself melt into his arms. Oh yeah, you had missed those lips too. You let him kiss you as long as he wanted, right there in the middle of all those people. You didn’t care that anyone saw. You were just so happy to be back with him.

“How was your flight?” he asked as he brought his lips away from yours. You pouted at the loss of contact.

“It was fine. I’m tired and gross, but I’m much better now.” You grabbed his hand, which he held firmly.

“Let’s get your bags and head home.” He paused, looking panicked, “I mean… my home. We’re going to my home. I didn’t mean…” 

You laughed, “It’s fine, Rob. I got what you meant.”

Rob rubbed a hand on the back of his neck nervously, “Sorry… are you ready?” he asked, eyes looking hopeful.

“Yeah, I’m ready.”

* * *

The drive to Rob’s was filled with talk about what you two had been up to for the past few days. Rob had been in the studio with his band, working on new songs. You talked about some of your writing as well. You sitting in a hotel room writing sad country songs was not nearly as exciting as his stories of recording in a studio, but he listened intently. It felt good to have someone show interest in your work. 

“Are you sure you don’t need to go by your place?” he asked, “Don’t you need anything?”

“No,” you replied sharply, “I’m fine. Really. I just don’t want to deal with it right now.”

“Okay, fine.” Was his only reply. He seemed to tense up a bit after the exchange. You knew he could see right through you. You weren’t lying, but you knew that he could tell something was up. He was just waiting for you to spit it out. 

You both rode the rest of the way to his place in silence, only this time, the silence had grown uncomfortable. 

When you arrived at his house, you both remained silent. He helped you carry your bags inside, gave you a quick tour of his place, and asked if you wanted a drink.

“Sure, I’ll take a drink.” You agreed, as you took a seat at his dining room table.Rob walked to the fridge where he retrieved two beers, he opened them and handed you one.

“I didn’t mean to be so pushy about going by your place,” he said, as he took a seat next to you.

“You weren’t being pushy,” you replied, “I was being defensive.” You absently ran your fingers along the beer bottle, knowing that you couldn’t continue to hide from him.

More silence. The moments of silence were killing you. You knew that he had questions. You knew that he was curious. Why wouldn’t he just ask you?

“Aren’t you going to ask me what this is all about?” In the end, you decided to bring it up since he wouldn’t.

Rob shook his head as he took another drink, “No. I’m not gonna push you into telling me anything.”

“But you do have questions? Right? I’m not insane, thinking that you know something is up?” 

“Oh, I definitely know something is up. No one acts this way over just an ex,” he stated. 

“But, you’re not gonna ask for details?” You replied.

“Nope.” He said, not making eye contact with you.

“I though honesty was key with you,” You were sort of egging him on. A part of you wanted him to ask questions. For some reason, it felt like he should be asking you questions.

“It is,” he confirmed, “but, this… this is new. You and I are just starting this thing. I can’t expect you to be open about everything right away.”

“You don’t expect it, but you want it?” It was really more of a statement.

“Sure, I would love for you to tell me everything. But, you’ll do that when you’re ready,” he caught your stare now, blue eyes comforting you. “For now, I just want to make you feel safe. Because you say it was just a breakup, but I feel like… you’re afraid of something.” 

His words forced out more tears. You were so tired of crying. You weren’t sure how you still had tears left anymore. You sat there, sobbing again. He was right, you were afraid and it was obviously noticeable. 

“Y/N…?” he sounded so worried right now and it made your heart ache.

“I told you about my ex, how I ended up in Nashville alone… there’s more to it than what I told you.” You felt the words slip off your tongue in between sobs.

“More?” he asked, moving in closer to you. 

“He’s not a nice guy. He has been texting and calling me a lot. He called me the night of your concert. Kim overheard the entire conversation and has been trying to talk me into telling you about this. I only decided to now because I am… afraid.”

“Why are you afraid?” He placed a hand on your knee, making circles with his thumb in an attempt to comfort you.

“He used to hit me,” you blurted out, you felt sick again as you realized what you had just told him. The truth. And the truth didn’t stop. The words just spilled out of you, as if you had been holding them in for too long. “It was a bad relationship that I stayed in for too long. He called me last night, saying that he will be waiting at my house for me when I got home. That’s why I asked you to pick me up. I couldn’t go home. He’s not taking no for an answer, and he scared me, and I’m just so afraid to go home.” 

You began to cry harder, spilling out most of the story the best you could.

Rob was quiet for some time. You felt your heart break. There was no way he would forgive you for keeping this from him. Of course he was thinking how messed up you were, how much he didn’t want to be a part of this.

“He hurt you?” You glanced up at him, noticing the look of shock on his face.

“Y-yes. I just became so used to it, I didn’t realize how afraid I was until I thought he was finally gone.”

“Y/N, you should have told me about the call that happened before the show…” He wasn’t angry, he seemed more worried than anything else.

“I know, I just didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want to risk losing you.” You said softly. It was true. The thought of losing him over all of this was constantly on your mind.

“You’re not losing me,” he said, as he moved closer. He carded his hands through your hair, pulling you in to a tight embrace. He spoke into your ear, “We just need to figure this out, we need to keep you safe.”

“Kim is looking into restraining orders for me,” you replied, “I’m sorry I went to her first, but she already knew because she overheard the phone call.”

“Don’t apologize,” he pulled back, taking your face in his hand as he wiped tears away, “you have nothing to apologize for.”

You were slightly shocked. Rob was being so… great about this. This man who barely knew you was willing to keep you safe.

“Are you mad?” You asked hesitantly. While Rob was being so great to you, you couldn’t help but feel that he might be angry about you lying to him.

“No, of course I’m not mad. How could I be mad? Whatever he did to you is not your fault. What he is doing to you now is not your fault.” His words were reassuring. He continued to stroke your face with his hand, now looking into your eyes.

“You’re not angry that I kept this from you?”

“No.” he sighed, “this is… difficult. But I can’t expect anyone to be okay with talking about something like this to someone they just met.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t want you to know about my past, I didn’t want to put any of this on you. But I’m just so afraid.”

“I will help you. I will keep you safe. You will stay with me, if that’s okay. We will figure this out together.”

“Why are you being so kind to me anyway?” Kindness was an idea that seemed so farfetched to you. You had experienced so much of it over the weekend, from people you just met, but you still didn’t understand it.  

“Because I really care about you. We’ve already decided to give us a shot, see where this goes. You’ve trusted me enough to finally be honest about this, trust me enough to know that I’m going to be here for you.”

You forced a smile and nodded. He pulled your face in to his and kissed you as you began to suppress your tears. You felt better having gotten everything out in the open with Rob. Now, there were no secrets between the two of you. He was willing to help you, and that meant more to you than anything. When you pulled away from the kiss; you smiled at each other, resting your foreheads against one another, just taking am moment.

“It’s late,” he began, “if you’re ready for bed, I can show you to the guest room.”

You scrunched up your face at this, which only made him laugh.

“Or, you could come to bed with me,” he offered with a grin. You shook your head eagerly and he pulled you up out of your chair quickly. 

You rushed to his room where you immediately jumped onto the bed, Rob right at your heels. 

In between kisses and gasps, you muttered that you needed him. He obliged, giving you the attention that you so desperately needed right now.

“Are you sure that you want this?” he asked, searching you for a hint of hesitation.

“Of course I do,” you whispered. You couldn’t help but still be amazed at the way he constantly checked in on you, making sure that you were okay. You knew that right now, it was because of everything you had just told him. Obviously, he wasn’t sure if you were in this mentally anymore. “Rob,” you said, as you held his face in your hands forcing him to look at you, “I want this. I want you. Always.”

Rob moved in, kissing you deeply. You had almost forgotten how good it felt… just being with him in bed, touching each other, kissing. You reveled in the way he explored your body, just like it was the first time. It had been too long.

“You’re safe with me,” he reminded you as he brushed his lips along yours. That was all you needed. Just someone to let you know that you would be okay.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader stays with Rob as she is too afraid to return home. Fluffiness ensues. Reader also comes face to face with her ex.

You woke up the next morning to the smell of bacon and coffee. Inhaling deeply, you groggily reached over to Rob’s side of the bed to find that he wasn’t there. Rubbing your eyes, you sat up. You could distinctly hear someone moving around outside of the room, singing quietly. You smiled when you recognized it as Rob’s voice. You got out of bed, fumbling through your luggage only to find that you had no more clean clothes. You frowned, and decided that it might be okay to wear something of his. Feeling a little guilty for rummaging through his closet, you managed to find a pair of shorts and a t-shirt that fit. You headed to the kitchen, hoping that he wouldn’t be upset that you helped yourself to his clothes.

When you got to the kitchen, you found Rob, singing to himself and busily cooking breakfast. The smell of food and coffee was stronger and your stomach growled as you realized just how hungry you were. You leaned against the entrance to the kitchen and just watched him. He continued to move about the kitchen, singing a song that you recognized as one of his. He was in a t-shirt and boxers, and was now wearing glasses. You had to admit, he looked really good in glasses. It took only a moment for him to glance up and notice that you were there. He gave you that big grin that you loved. 

“Hey, good morning!” he said happily, “making some breakfast for my girl.”

“Mmm,” you replied, “it smells good.”

He pointed at you with a spatula, “did I ever tell you how good you look in my clothes?”

“No,” you blushed, looking down at the faded t-shirt that you had thrown on, “I’ve never worn your clothes before.”

“Hmm, well, you should do it more often.” He smiled again, crinkles forming in the corners of his eyes. You took a seat at the table, continuing to watch him as he prepared a cup of coffee before bringing it to you.

“Coffee?” he asked.

“You know it,” you replied, gladly accepting the cup. He bent down and kissed the top of your head. 

“Are you always so cheery in the mornings?” you asked, wondering how anyone could have so much energy this early.

“Nope, I hate mornings. I never get used to them,” he said as he went back to cooking.You raised your eyebrow at him, not really believing him.

“I’m just in a good mood this morning.” He said when he noticed your questioning look.

“What’s got you so happy?” you asked as you took a sip of your coffee.

“Well,” he began as he made his way back to you, now carrying two plates of food. He sat the plates on the table and took the chair next to you, “I kinda got lucky last night.” He wiggled his brows at you which made you laugh. You really loved his silliness. He was often so awkward and funny, you definitely weren’t used to being around someone like him, but you found yourself feeling really comfortable. 

“You’re weird,” you said jokingly.

Rob gave you an exaggerated look of hurt, “What? I’m not allowed to be in a great mood when I’ve got you as my live-in girlfriend?” He stopped himself too late, a look of regret forming on his face. 

You stared at him, trying to process what he had just said.

“Did you just call me your girlfriend?” you asked, sort of shocked by his words.

“I-I didn’t mean it like that,” he stuttered, “I know you don’t really live here… and I’m sorry I called you my girlfriend, I know… I know you don’t want that right now. I’m sorry.” He shoved a large forkful of food in his mouth as if he was attempting to shut himself up.

“Don’t be sorry.” 

He finished chewing his food before replying, “I’m sorry. It’s just… this feels like a relationship. And here you are, waking up in my bed, looking amazing in my clothes… I guess I just feel like you are my girl.” He blushed, staring down at his plate.

“I am,” you smiled at him, taking his hand, “I am your girl. And I’m lucky to be yours, especially after everything yesterday.”

“I have to admit, I felt strangely protective yesterday,” he added, “when you told me about everything, I was just so angry. Not at you, at him and what he put you through. I just want to keep you safe.”

“Thank you,” you replied, “I feel safe here with you.”

“I really care about you, and this just feels so comfortable. This kinda does feel like a live-in girlfriend thing right now.” His eyes met yours again. You couldn’t help but fall for the man even more.

“It does. Also, I don’t mind you calling me your girlfriend.”

Rob’s eyes lit up, followed by that smile again. “Really? I didn’t really mean to say it out loud. But, I think that this is going there.”

“Definitely, this is a relationship. A sort of fucked up one given the circumstances, but I like being with you. I like how you make me feel.” 

“So… I can call you my girlfriend?” he asked, looking hopeful.

“Yes,” you nodded, “I’m not planning on seeing anyone else. I like you too much.”

“Damn,” he said, leaning back in his chair with a large grin plastered on his face, “you just let me tie you down.”

“Tie me down?” you asked, you knew what he meant, but you couldn’t help your thoughts, “hmm, maybe we can make that work tonight.” You said playfully.

Rob’s eyes widened, his mouth agape as he processed what you had just said.

“I’m kidding!” you laughed, “I know what you meant.”

“Please, don’t be kidding,” he replied, eyes still wide.

“Eat your breakfast,” you insisted, still laughing. Rob chuckled to himself as you both started eating.

* * *

When breakfast was finished and you had had your fill of coffee for the day, you sat around the living room as Rob got ready. He had already told you that he had to be back in the studio with the band today. When he offered to let you tag along, you declined, knowing you had some things to do anyway. He was out the door rather quickly, not forgetting to give you a kiss and reminding you to help yourself to anything while he was gone.

“Please, call me if you need anything,” he said as he left.

You nodded, watching him leave the house. When he was gone, you took a shower. You had nothing to wear, so you put back on the clothes you had borrowed from Rob. You began to panic when you realized that you had to go home. You at least needed clothes, and you had to get your car that you had left there when you opted to take a taxi to the airport a week ago.You looked at your phone for the first time that morning, only now seeing text messages from Chris. Your stomach dropped and you chose to ignore them. 

You sighed heavily as you found a number for a cab company and called for a ride to your house. All you could do was hope that Chris was at work like normally would be during the day.

* * *

The cab pulled up in front of your house and you let out a sigh of relief to see that Chris’ car was not there. Gathering your purse, your paid the driver and made your way to the front door. It felt like you had been gone for months. Your home no longer seemed familiar to you now. You shakily put your key in the front door, making you take a few moments before you could open it. You waited at the entrance, listening for a second for any indication that someone might be there. When you felt safe to enter, you did and began to make quick work of gathering some of your things.

You felt on edge, concerned that he could walk in at any time as you threw some of your clothes into a spare bag. There was no thinking involved, you just grabbed things and threw them into the bag as you rushed around your house. Sure, this was your home, but right now you didn’t feel comfortable there. You wouldn’t feel comfortable as long as you knew that he had access to it. All you wanted to do was get your things and leave. 

You tried to calm your nerves, reminding yourself that he was at work. He wouldn’t be back for hours, you had plenty of time.Almost as soon as you began to calm down, you heard the front door to the living room open and close. Footsteps echoed through the house. Your heartbeat quickened, and you covered your mouth to stop the sound of you gasping from coming out. You had been so sure that you had time. 

You tried to remain quiet, but you knew that you couldn’t hide. You were going to have to confront him, but this was something you weren’t ready for. You chose to sit on the bed and wait quietly. He would find you, he always did. You had learned to sort of sit back and just wait for it. You cringed at the realization that you were falling back into your old patterns. Sitting and waiting for the storm that you knew you couldn’t escape. But still, you just waited.

Sure enough, he entered the bedroom, looking a bit surprised to see you there.

“I didn’t know you were home,” he said with a smile, “I tried to get a hold of you last night, but you must have been ignoring my messages.”

“I was,” you replied. Normally, you didn’t talk back. But, you reminded yourself that you were no longer his. You were afraid, sure, but you didn’t have to keep pretending for his sake.

“You were ignoring me?”

“Yes, you shouldn’t be here,” you said, somewhat surprised by your own words, “I told you to leave. I’m done.”

“And I told you that I would be here waiting for you,” he said sharply, “Because I’m not done.”

You squirmed in your spot, uncomfortable by the tone in his voice. He was always so threatening and you had forgotten what that sounded like after having spent a week with Rob.

“You’re not leaving me,” he continued, “you always walk away and you always come right back.” He made his way closer to you, causing you to flinch.

“Not this time,” you argued, “It is over, and you need to accept that.”

He eyed you for a moment, as if he was sizing you up. You could tell he was trying to figure out why your demeanor was so different. You normally didn’t argue with him, you rarely ever spoke out of line, but today you were behaving differently.

He grinned when the realization hit him, “you met someone, didn’t you?”

You narrowed your eyes at him, not wanting to answer. You didn’t want Rob involved in this anymore than he already was. Rob had been so insistent on keeping you safe, now you felt it necessary to protect him.“That’s not what this is about. You can’t just treat me like shit, dump me, and expect me to take you back again. I won’t do it.”

“There’s definitely someone else…” he continued, “you’re cheating on me?”

You felt your face flush with anger, “how dare you?” you sputtered, “you left me for some woman that you cheated on me with for months, and you have the balls to stand there and call me a cheater?” you were growing more and more angry. “You left me, we’ve been broken up for a week, whatever I choose to do, and whoever I choose to be with does not concern you anymore.”

“So, there is someone?” He smiled when he got it out of you. You scolded yourself for growing so angry that you slipped up. Your hesitation at his question urged him on, “those aren’t your clothes,” he said, pointing to the outfit you were wearing. 

“It doesn’t matter,” you said, standing up and reaching for your bag, “you can stay here for now if you want to, but don’t think that this is going to continue for much longer.”

You jumped as Chris grabbed your arm, squeezing tight, “What?” he asked, not letting go of your arm. 

“You heard me. You can keep trying to scare me, or whatever it is that you’re trying to do,” you attempted to move from his grasp, but his hand only tightened on your arm, “but I won’t let you get away with it for much longer.”

“Are you threatening me?” He had moved dangerously close so that he was right in your face, grip still tightening on your arm.

“You’re hurting me…” you muttered, tears welling up in your eyes.

“Good,” he replied, “I don’t like to be threatened.”

“Let me go,” you demanded.

He grinned again, this time letting go of your arm. You brought your hand up to the aching spot that he had had a hold of, feeling your heart beat quicken as you were unsure of what would happen next. 

“Fine, I see your getting your things together…” he moved his eyes to the bag that you had packed.

“Yes,” you replied, picking the bag up and throwing it over your shoulder, “I’m leaving, at least until I can find a way to get you to leave my house.”

You pushed past him and headed toward the door, hiding your face so that he couldn’t see the fear that you were feeling in that moment. He followed you to the living room and watched as you opened the door. Not looking back, you stepped out, only to hear him call out to you.

“You know, it’s going to be pretty easy for me to figure out where you are and who you’re with.” He made the statement as if it were just a passing thought. It was very casual, but it was also his cruel way of reminding you that he could easily find you, and he would make sure that he did. 

You still didn’t look back at him. You continued to walk to your car, pulling the trunk open so that you could deposit your bag. You got in the car, starting it, trying to keep your composure as you were sure that he was still watching you; waiting for you to break. But you wouldn’t break in front of him again. You pulled out of the driveway and sped off, waiting until you got a few blocks away before allowing yourself to cry.

You pulled over alongside the road at one point, eyes too blurry to see the road. You took a moment to steady your breathing, and to slow down your tears. You couldn’t help but glance in the rear view mirror, half expecting to see him following you. The realization hit you, you could do anything you could think of to get away from him. You could hide out at Rob’s place, you could change your number, you could try to avoid him in this big city… but he could find you if he really wanted to, he knew you better than anyone. You were going to live your life, in fear, trying to hide from him. 

You thought of Rob. He was in this with you now. He had said so himself, he wasn’t going anywhere. While Chris made general threats toward you all the time, you couldn’t help but play that one thing over and over in your head, _“It’s going to be easy for me to find out where you are and who you’re with.”_ You felt sick at the implication. You hadn’t wanted to drag Rob into this mess. But he insisted on staying. He insisted on you being his girlfriend. Now, Chris knew that there was someone. Not only did you realize that you weren’t safe, you now realized that your stupidity was making Rob unsafe.

Finding your phone, you shakily sent Kim a text message _.  
_

_Y/N: have you found out how to go about getting a restraining order?_  


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Rob write a song together. That’s it… that’s all I got for you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used the song; Pushin' Time by Miranda Lambert in this chapter.

You spent the rest of the morning talking to Kim on the phone after you arrived back at Rob’s place. The two of you discussed what you needed to do. You had never felt the need to stand up for yourself when it came to Chris. For so many years; you had stayed quiet, remaining submissive. You felt a rush of adrenaline knowing that you were doing what you could to get out of the situation. You hadn’t felt so strong in a long time. As Kim talked about the process and the steps that you needed to take, you felt an overwhelming sense of appreciation for her.

“Hey, Kim,” you said, “thanks. Thanks for everything.”

“No problem, Y/N.” she replied, “I’m more than happy to help.”

“You’ve really pushed me into getting out of a bad situation. And that’s a good thing. I needed the push. If it hadn’t been for you nagging me, I might have just ended up right back where I started.”

You weren’t sure, but you felt that Kim might be smiling at your sentiment.

“And Rob?” she asked.

“He knows everything. I was hesitant to go into the details with him, but you were right… he is sticking with me. I’m lucky to have him.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” she said, “I haven’t seen him this happy in a long time.”

“I keep hearing that, I don’t get it… but I’m glad that I can make him happy.”

You talked more about what you needed to get done. Your head was swimming with thoughts of the paperwork, the possible court appearances, the stress. You knew this is what had to be done. It was no longer just your own safety that was the concern.

When you ended the call, you ran your hands through your hair, exhaling dramatically. You couldn’t believe that you were here. How had you allowed yourself to get into this mess? Even more, how could you have dragged Rob into it with you? You had been thinking of him constantly.

You pushed aside the paperwork that you had printed off, not really wanting to deal with it right away. Instead, you made your way across the room to grab your guitar and the journal that Rob had given you when he left Nashville. You sat back on the couch, opening the book and scanning the pages until you found what you had been looking for. You had written a lot while you were alone for those four days. But, there was one song in particular that you wanted to finish. You just couldn’t find all of the right words yet, so you decided to work on it more while you waited for Rob to get home.

You sat there for some time; strumming, singing, scribbling, and trying different chords until you found a tune that you were happy with. You played it over and over, trying different lyrics that didn’t fit or work with what you were trying to convey. Just as you were growing frustrated, you heard a key turn in the lock on the front door. You glanced up as Rob entered the house.

“Hey,” he said, smiling at you as usual.

“Hi,” you smiled back.

“Playing something?” he asked, nodding towards you.

“Yeah, just trying to work on a song that I’ve been stuck on for days,” you frowned, looking back down at the lyrics on the page.

“Songwriting, huh?” he said, moving along the room to where he had a few guitars displayed against a wall. He grabbed an acoustic and sat next you. “What are we playing?”

You laughed quietly, “What? You’re going to help me?”

“You look a bit flustered. Maybe another musical ear could help.”

You hesitated, not sure if this song was something that you were ready for him to hear just yet. Looking into those blue eyes made you melt though.

“Okay,” you agreed, “maybe you could help me with some lyrics that I’m stuck on…”

“Sure,” he replied happily.You played the tune that you had come up with, Rob caught on quick and played it back to you.

“Perfect,” you said, as you pointed to the words in the journal, “this is just something I started writing… right after you left Nashville.”

Rob picked up the journal and began to read the lyrics carefully, a slight grin inching up on his face. When he finished reading, he put it down and simply said, “that’s really nice, Y/N.”

“But it’s not done, I’m just stuck on a few lines.”

He began to strum the tune again, humming for a moment with his eyes closed. You could see his wheels turning, he was thinking hard as he silently mouthed some words to himself.

After a while, he picked up a pen, “May I?” he asked, checking to see it was okay for him to add to the song. You nodded, interested to see what he would come up with.

“This part,” he stated, as he circled some of your lines, “works really great as a chorus. It’s short, but it’s powerful.” He began to scribble in some words among the ones that you had already written. You watched him work, reading the lines as he came up with them.

The two of you remained that way for a while. Passing the pen and journal between each other; adding lines, crossing out words, talking excitedly about what would work and what wouldn’t. You both returned to your guitars, replaying the tune that you had worked out. Now Rob, Rob was a guitarist. The man knew music. He tweaked some of the chords that you had come up with. The final sound that he had sculpted sounded beautiful, he hadn’t changed your original one too much; but it certainly sounded better.

“You really need to keep the sound simple with this one. It’s a really nice song, I’m sure your voice will be the focus.”

You laughed, “only if you sing it with me,” you insisted.

“Yeah?” he asked, amused.

“Yes!” you exclaimed, looking down at the completed song on the page, “Look,” you pointed to the words, “you wrote almost half of it.”

“Okay, let’s give it a try,” he chuckled, shaking his head.You felt your heart drop at his demeanor.

“You don’t like it, do you?”

“What?! No… I love it! I said it was a great song.” He became defensive by your words.

“Yeah, but that look you gave me when I suggested that we sing it together tells me that you don’t want to sing it.”

“No, it’s just… it’s a beautiful song, Y/N. It really is. And it’s… very country. I’m not good at country music.” He was blushing, staring down at his guitar.

“Really?” you raised a brow, “Tennessee Whiskey, Wagon Wheel… not to mention Night Light, it has an almost country feel to it.”

“Okay, you win…” he laughed, throwing a hand up, “I just don’t wanna ruin it.”

“Impossible,” you said, nudging his arm with your elbow.You began to play, Rob joining in, keeping the rhythm with you as you began to sing; _  
_

_Are we fools for rushing in?_  
_‘Cause I already dread the end_  
 _Lonely ain’t no place to start_  
 _I guess thats just where we are_

You stopped singing, allowing Rob to take the next line, one that he had written.

You joined him on the chorus, your eyes catching his as you both sang.

 _Sometimes love acts out of spite_  
_And good things happen overnight_  
 _Can’t take it slow ‘cause you and I are pushin’ time_

You took the following verse, it was one that you had written. It was the first verse of the song that you had penned down on the page, you were simply working around it as you wrote the rest of the song. _  
_

_I didn’t plan on falling fast_   
_I didn’t know I could be kissed like that_   
_Now I’m trading miles for minutes_   
_This bed’s too big without you in it_

Rob grinned at the words, as the two of you went to the chorus again. _  
_

You remained silent again, encouraging Rob to finish the last verse that he had written, which he did. _  
_

Your eyes found his again. You couldn’t help but feel a spark run through your body at the way your voices blended together. You watched each other intently, each strumming and finishing the song together. _  
_

When you finished the song, you both sat there for some time, just looking at each other. You felt exhilarated in that moment. You had written many songs with many artists, but none of those experiences quite matched up to the way you felt right now.

“I think we just wrote a song together,” you stated proudly.

Rob beamed at you, leaning his guitar against the side of the couch. “We did, and it was… really nice.”

“Thank you for helping me,” you really did appreciate his help, he had added to the song perfectly. It finally brought across what you had been trying to express.

“You really do have an amazing voice,” he reminded you.

You blushed again, still not used to his compliments. “I think we work really well together.”

“I think we sound really great together,” he added. He reached over and took your guitar from you, placing it next to his before he moved in closer. He brushed his lips against yours for a moment, “what was that song about anyway?”

You glanced up at him, noticing the look in his eyes that said that he knew exactly what it was about.

“It’s about you,” you said, “we talked about rushing into this, wondering if we were moving too fast… and you said that we were making up for lost time…” you trailed off.

“It’s perfect,” he assured you.

“I just wrote it because… I missed you so much. I didn’t know that I could miss anyone that much.” you choked back tears that were welling up. Rob put his hand up to your face, stroking along your cheek.

“I missed you so much too. But we’re together now.”

He kissed you, the same kind of kiss that you had just sung about. No one had ever kissed you the way that he did. You had truly never felt so happy. As he pulled away from you, he looked you in the eyes again, smiling.

“Hey, I…” he seemed to be searching for the words for a moment, “I love you, Y/N.” He waited, obviously wondering if he had overstepped.

His words had hit you hard. It felt like you had lost your breath at the suddenness of them. Only this time, it wasn’t fear that made your heartbeat quicken and your breath fall short; you knew what you were feeling, and you met him at his sentiment.

“I love you too, Rob.” you replied without hesitation. You certainly hadn’t thought that you would use those words any time soon. You had spent a lot of time scolding yourself for moving too quickly with Rob, for feeling the way that you did when you were with him. But, you had written those words down on paper for a reason. Maybe the two of you were crazy. Maybe you were rushing things. All of those thoughts paled in comparison to how you actually felt. You were a believer of love, you always had been. You couldn’t be a country music songwriter if you didn’t believe in real love. Sure, you had forgotten what love was within the past few years. But, just being with Rob had been enough to remind you often.

You had spent days, pouring yourself over lyrics that felt like the only way you could express your feelings for him. Thinking that he would probably never see those words or hear those songs, you had allowed yourself to be completely open.That’s what this song had been about all along… sometimes love just happens, and you can’t do anything to stop it.

You smiled, realizing that you had written the song together. You had both put pieces of yourselves into those lyrics. You also recognized that, right now, you were both willing to let love just happen.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rob and Reader discuss the incident with her ex, they go on a date, smut happens. The reader experiences her first Louden Swain show where she learns that more people know about her relationship with Rob than she realized. Something happens that causes the reader to make a painful choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reference to Homesick by Louden Swain.

You and Rob had finally been open and honest with each other. It was a moment of vulnerability for you. Not only had you not expected to use the L word so soon, you hadn’t expected to fall in love so quickly in the first place. Something about this felt right though. You enjoyed the moment together. Having just written a song that the two of you poured your feelings into, you laid together on the couch; wrapped up in each other’s arms. You were laughing together and talking, just enjoying each other’s company.

“You wanna come to the show tomorrow night?” Rob asked you, referring to the Louden Swain show that he had been talking about for a couple of days.

“Of course, it will be fun to see you guys play outside of a convention.”

He ran his hand down your back as you rested against his chest. This felt so comfortable, almost as if you had been here with him like this many times before.

“I’m excited to bring my girlfriend to her first Louden Swain show,” he said.

“Hmm, I’ve seen you play before,” you stated, looking up at him.

“That was at convention, these shows are different. It’s a small venue, maybe a couple hundred people.”

“Sounds like fun,” you smiled at him, “I can’t wait.”

You reached up to kiss him on the face, his beard tickling your lips. You giggled as he pulled you closer, kissing you on the lips. Those gentle kisses and touches quickly became heated, as they always did with the two of you. He began to bite gently on your lips, his hands working their way under your shirt in an attempt to find skin-to-skin contact. Your breath hitched as his mouth found your neck; the same spot that he had learned would get you worked up. He already knew the tricks, and he wasn’t afraid to use them. Since your legs were already intertwined together, you moved your leg gently, making sure to rub your thigh in between his legs. You could already feel his excitement as you did so, and the movement lured a low moan from him. You continued to kiss, this time harder. Your heartbeat raced with anticipation as his hands make their way along your skin. 

It wasn’t until he moved on top of you that the moment was ruined. In an attempt to pin you down, he grasped your upper arms, holding you down gently. But as he did so, you flinched at the sudden pain that shot through your arm.

“Are you okay?” he asked, a look of concern falling on his face, “did I hurt you?’

“No, I’m okay,” you replied, “It’s nothing. My arm… it was already hurting.” You pushed him off of you gently, knowing that you couldn’t focus anymore after the sudden pain that you were downplaying. You sat up, straightening your shirt.

“What did I do?” he was still very concerned that he had hurt you. He began to examine you carefully, looking for the source of your pain. Pulling at the sleeve of your t-shirt, he stopped suddenly.

“Oh my God, Y/N…” his face fell. You looked down at your arm, having almost forgotten about what had happened this morning. But, there it was… your own stupidity staring you right in the face. Your arm was bruised; deep purple marks stretched across your skin in the shape of a handprint where Chris had grabbed you earlier.

“What…?” Rob couldn’t even finish his train of thought. He just continued to look at the bruise. It wasn’t something that really phased you, but your heart sank at how horrified Rob looked.

“You didn’t do that,” you assured him, “I just almost forgot it happened.”

“What do you mean?” he looked up at you quickly.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I went by my house today… to get my car and some of my things. Chris wasn’t there when I showed up, but he got there as I was packing.” Rob looked at you, concerned. Even you were a bit surprised at how nonchalantly you were playing the story out.

“You went there? Alone?”

“I thought he was at work, I thought I had enough time. But he got there and he was angry…”

“He did this to you?”

“He grabbed me while he was threatening me, like he usually does,” you shrugged.

“You shouldn’t have gone alone, Y/N,” Rob’s voice became stern. You could tell that he was upset that you had put yourself into that situation.

“I’m okay. It’s just a bruise.”

“This…” he said, holding your bruised arm, “this is not okay.”

“Look, he just grabbed me. I got out of there before anything else happened.”

Rob’s face turned red, not in the cute way when you said something to make him blush… this was anger. You hadn’t seen him like this before.

“Rob, really… it’s okay. I’ve had worse.”

He paled suddenly at your words. You felt bad for playing this off as nothing. Sometimes, you had to remind yourself that just because things like this had become a common occurrence in your life, it was definitely not something that others were used to. This was a big part of why you just didn’t talk about it. Sure, you could treat a few bruises as if they were nothing; but generally, people felt uncomfortable at the thought of someone becoming so used to the physical violence.

“I’m sorry,” you continued when you realized he was unable to say anything, “I was dumb, I shouldn’t have gone there alone. But honestly, he could have done much worse.”

He still didn’t look pleased. You searched his eyes, only to notice that he just looked really sad and his silence was making you uneasy.

“What?” you asked quietly, “what are you thinking?”

Rob opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He lowered his eyes to the ground and shook his head, trying to find the right thing to say. You waited patiently, giving him the chance to collect his thoughts. You understood that had questions and concerns, who wouldn’t in this situation?

“I guess… I guess I just didn’t realize…” he trailed off before looking back up at you, “I didn’t realize how bad it was.”

“What do you mean?” you questioned him.

“I mean, you act as if something like this,” he said as he touched your bruised arm, “is… no big deal. You keep saying you’ve had worse. And, I just can’t imagine what that means.”

You fidgeted in your seat at his statement. It was true, something like a bruised arm was no concern to you, and you truly did confront Chris today anticipating something much worse. It was difficult for you to understand Rob’s concerns though. Hell, you often felt lucky to leave an argument with your ex with only a couple of bruises.

“You don’t want to know that much about the things that happened in that relationship. I’m certainly not going to put any of that on you,” you explained as you took Rob’s hand in yours.

“You can always talk to me about anything,” he said.

“I know. But, I don’t want to talk about this. I’ve spent so much time trying to block these things from my mind, trying to forget… maybe I am kinda messed up to be acting as if things like this are no big deal to me, but the truth is; I’m just not phased. I don’t know why it’s this way with me, it just is.” You brought a hand up to his face, running your fingers against his jawline, “I know it sounds really horrible, but it’s just something I became used to.”

“But, you’ve been so afraid of him…”

“I know. And I am. I’m not afraid of all of the things that he’s already done to me, I’m afraid of what he could be capable of. We had a… difficult relationship. I always left him. I left him so many times for so many reason. But I always went back to him. This time, I don’t know what he’s thinking now that he realizes it’s not going to be that way anymore. I really didn’t know that he could be this way… I mean, he left me this time. I didn’t expect him to try to scare me back into being with him. I just want to be done with this whole situation, and I’m trying.”

You knew Rob was already aware of the threats that Chris had been sending you, in fact, your phone was almost constantly buzzing with messages from him. The only thing that you could think to do at this point was ignore him. It didn’t seem to be working well, and honestly, his messaged only seemed to become more and more angry each time.

Rob nodded his head, indicating that he understood somewhat, “I don’t want you to go back there for any reason.”

“I know, and I won’t.”

“What are we doing about this?”

You moved away slightly to gather the documents that you had deposited on the table earlier. “Kim sent these to me today, I’ve been working on them… I think this is my only option right now.”

Rob scanned through the papers, studying them so that he could have a better understanding of what all of this meant.

“I really didn’t want to drag you into this with me,” you whispered. Rob glanced up at you as he placed the papers back on the table.

“You didn’t. You don’t have control over any of this. Neither do I.” he brushed a strand of your hair from your face, “we… we fell in love. And maybe it’s under really crappy circumstances, but it happened.”

“I just hate the timing of this. I don’t want to lose you because of my crazy ex-boyfriend,” you allowed yourself to cry again, not over the confrontation from earlier; this was more about being unsure of what was going on in Chris’ head, it was about feeling guilty for Rob being involved now.

“Hey,” Rob said, pulling your face up towards his so that you could look at him, “I’m not going anywhere, okay? I told you that I love you, and I mean it. I-I haven’t felt this way about anyone in so long…”

He pulled you into a hug, running his hands along your back. You closed your eyes as he held you, finding comfort in his arms. You knew you were lucky to have a man like this, especially given these circumstances. You felt guilty for having put yourself in a bad situation now, it was never your intention to make him worry so much. At the same time, it felt good to have someone who actually worried about you.

“Hey,” Rob began, pulling you from your thoughts, “why don’t we go out and have dinner tonight?” He pulled back, looking at you with a warm smile. “We haven’t even had a real first date, might be nice to have a night out… just the two of us.”

You grinned at him, realizing that he was trying hard to help you to not think about what had happened today. Actually, he was probably trying harder to stop himself from thinking about it. You really didn’t want to think about any of it; the run in with Chris, the possibility of having to get a restraining order, the look on Rob’s face when he saw the bruise… it was all a lot for one day. While you were honestly very much used to events like this, you couldn’t imagine what Rob must be going through. So, you were more than happy to go along with his change of subject.

“I’d love to go on a date with you,” you said.

* * *

Later that night, you found yourself sitting across from Rob at a table in a very nice restaurant. You both had decided to dress up, considering it was your first date and all. You couldn’t help but eye him intensely the entire night because of how amazing he looked in a simple button up shirt and jacket. He had combed his dark curls back and opted to wear his glasses. You had to admit, seeing him in glasses made you a little crazy and you wondered why he didn’t wear them more often. You had decided to wear a simple black dress that you had managed to throw in your bag earlier in the day when you went by your house, it was really the only dress you had at Rob’s place, so there wasn’t much of a choice. Luckily, the dress had long enough sleeves that your bruised arm wasn’t visible to anyone.

The two of you enjoyed your dinner together; drinking wine, talking more about yourselves, and generally forgetting the events from this morning. It was nice to be out together finally. You and Rob had spent most of your time together surrounded by his friends or holed up in a hotel room; and then there were those four days where you couldn’t even see each other. You thought back to your first time meeting him. It felt like it had been a long time ago. It was hard to think that the two of you had only been together for such a short time. It was perhaps your instant connection and the fact that it was so easy to communicate with each other that made it feel as if you had been together for so much longer.

He had a way of making you forget all of the bad things. He made you laugh and he made you smile with every compliment. He made you feel like you were the only person in the entire room as he never once looked away from you.

“You look amazing tonight.” he uttered as the two of you had finished eating and were now each enjoying a glass of wine. His piercing blue eyes stared right into you. You blushed, still not used to his praises.

You narrowed your eyes at him, “just tonight?” you asked jokingly. His eyes widened.

“N-no. Not just tonight. I mean, you look great right now… but you always look amazing.” You chuckled at how easy it was to turn him back into usual awkward self. Reaching across the table to take his hand, you reassured him that you were only joking.

“Well, you’re pretty damn good-looking yourself,” you replied, giving him a flirty wink. He grinned back at you, his tongue darting from his mouth to lick his lips. This action made your heartbeat quicken and you felt your head begin to buzz. Maybe it was all the wine you had had with dinner, or maybe it was the way he was eyeing you… but you felt that this date was over and you needed to get back to his place.

* * *

With your date ending rather early, you and Rob arrived at his house. Before he even had the key in the front door, you were all over him. Your head still swimming from a mix of alcohol and the taste of his lips, you knew that you wanted him now. He managed to get the door open as you kissed him and touched him. Once inside, he quickly removed his shoes and jacket as you pulled at him, not allowing his lips to leave yours.

“Bedroom…” he murmured against your mouth. You nodded as you worked at removing his shirt. Before you could even get the buttons undone, he pulled you toward the bedroom. Once inside, he spun you around so that your back was to him. He pushed your hair aside and made slow work of the zipper on the back of your dress, making sure to run his fingers down your spine as he did so. You gasped at how sensitive your skin was under his hands. Once the dress was undone; he slid his hands under your sleeves, pulling them down your arms until the dress fell in a heap on the floor. You made an attempt to turn back around to kiss him, but he held you place and began to kiss down the back of your neck. He wrapped his arms around your stomach, pulling you closer so that you could feel just how excited he was. The pressure felt good and you leaned your head back onto his shoulder, giving him access to more of your neck. He nipped and sucked on your skin, running his hands across your abdomen. You were sure to grind against him, pulling a soft moan from his mouth. You half expected him to throw you on the bed right then, but instead you felt his hand work its way down your body. He reached your panties, and slipped his hand inside. Your breathing quickened as he slipped a finger into you, causing you to gasp.

“Oh, Rob…” you whispered, closing your eyes as he began to move his finger in and out of you slowly. He began to tease your clit, which only caused you to moan out loud. He pushed harder against you in response. While you were enjoying this, you wanted more of him. You always wanted more of him.

“Please Rob,” you muttered, “I need more.”

“What do you need?” he asked, his mouth against your ear as his breath against your skin shot shivers through your body.

“I need you,” you gasped as he pushed another finger into you.

“You need me to what?” you could almost feel him grinning against your neck. Your breath caught as he continued to tease you. You wanted to tell him that you needed him to take you right now, but you found yourself unable to form coherent sentences. “Tell me what you want,” he said, as he continued to tease you. The only thing he could coax out of you were gasps and moans.

“Please,” you breathed. It was the only thing you could bring yourself to say. But he understood and he turned you around to face him as he walked you to the bed, removing the rest of your clothing before telling you to lay down. You did as he asked, waiting while he undressed himself. He looked down at you, that tongue darting out between his lips again. He made his way on top of you before finding your mouth with his, giving you a deep kiss. You whined as he pressed against you, prompting him to enter you in one swift movement. You let out a slow sigh against his mouth at the feeling of him being inside you again. You wrapped your arms around his back, pulling him closer. He kissed along your lips, waiting.

“God, you’re so beautiful,” he said, his eyes taking you in. You only whimpered in response, still unable to speak as you were too far gone at the moment. The sounds you made were enough to let him know that he needed to move. He mouthed lazy kisses on your lips as he began to thrust into you.

You loved the way he watched you as he made love to you. Every time it was as if he was etching the moment in his memory. You never failed to keep eye contact, something about it just made the moment that much more intimate. Sometimes, the sex between the two of you was so frantic and rushed; which was usually your idea as you often felt like you needed him instantly. But tonight, it was different. Rob made love to you slowly, reminding you that you had all the time on the world to just be together.

When you had both reached your peaks, calling out each other’s names; you laid next to each other, breathing heavy, still grasping onto each other. You couldn’t wipe the grin of your face as you came down from your high. You held each other; touching, kissing, bodies still tingling from the aftermath.

“That was…” you couldn’t even finish your thought.

“I know,” was all Rob said.

You laid like that for some time; still holding each other, lips working gently at each other’s skin. You had never felt such intimacy with anyone. You had never felt more at home.

“I love you,” you said as you kissed along his jawline. He was now running his hand gently along your bruised arm, seemingly lost in thought. You glanced up at him when he didn’t respond, wondering what he could be thinking right now. You watched him for a moment; his eyes drawn to your injury as he continued to touch your tender skin. After a moment, he looked back at you; bringing his lips down to yours.

“I love you too,” he replied as he pulled you into him, resting your head in the crook of his neck. You let out a deep sigh, nuzzling into him before you closed your eyes and drifted into sleep.

* * *

Saturday morning was a lazy one. You and Rob spent most of the day in bed, talking and watching TV. By late afternoon, Rob had to start getting ready for the show.  

“You’re still coming to the show, right?” he asked as he dressed in a t-shirt and jeans.

“Of course. Should I just meet you there later?”  you asked. You hadn’t even gotten close to getting ready as you were still lounging around in pajamas.

He laughed, “no, you go ahead and get ready. I’ve just got some things to load in the car, I’ll wait for you.”

You got up from the bed and began to look for something to wear. You settled on a pair of jeans and thought it wouldn’t hurt to wear one of Rob’s t-shirts again. His shirts were comfy and fit you nicely, also, he had already mentioned how you should wear his clothes more often. You found one of his old band tees and slipped it on. You pulled your hair up into a ponytail and made your way to the bathroom where you did your makeup quickly.

As you made your way out of Rob’s room, you found him waiting in the living room for you. He grinned as you walked toward him.

“Do I look okay for a Louden Swain show?” you asked, motioning to your choice of clothing.

“Hmm, I really do love seeing you in my clothes,” he said as he gave you a quick kiss, “and you always look great.”

He took your hand and led you out the door.

* * *

You didn’t really know what to expect as you arrived at the venue. Rob had pulled up in the front of the building where you saw a line of fans already forming. Your heart raced at the thought of being seen with him in front of his fans. You didn’t know if you wanted these people to know about the two of you yet. You had been in the music business for a longtime; mainly incognito as a songwriter, but you were very aware of how fans often reacted to seeing their idols in new relationships. You bit your lip, a little worried that his fans might not like you or approve.

“I’ve got to get some gear in and they don’t have a back entrance,” he explained. You nodded, trying to hide your face from the direction of the crowd outside.

“You okay?” Rob asked when he noticed your demeanor.

You shrugged, “I just… don’t know if it’s okay for me to be seen with you yet…”

“What are you talking about?”

“Do you really want your fans to see me with you? Doesn’t that like, ruin things for them?”

Rob rolled his eyes, “I promise you, our fans are not like that.” He opened the door and stepped out. You waited in the car as he brought his gear into the building, not really sure what to do next. He returned to the car, this time opening your door to let you out. He offered you a hand, which you regretfully decided not to take. You were already on edge about his fans seeing him with someone, you really didn’t want to give them the impression that you were his girlfriend. Rob seemed a little hurt by the rejection, but he walked you into the venue anyway.

“I’m sorry,” you apologized, “I’m just not used to groups of fans like this and I don’t want to bring attention to myself.”

“It’s okay, I get it,” he replied, “I won’t be all over you in front of everyone tonight. I’m just gonna go park and I’ll be right back.”

He leaned in to kiss you, something that he had become so used to doing, but paused when he remembered your words.

“You can kiss me, there are no fans in here yet,” you said with a laugh. Rob gave you a quick kiss before leaving the building.

You looked around to examine the venue. It was small; probably couldn’t fit more than a hundred people. A small stage sat against a wall, set up with most of the band’s instruments. You noticed the bar along another wall and made your way to it, thinking a drink might help to calm your nerves. Something about being seen with Rob by fans made you uneasy. Sure, you had mingled with a lot of them during the convention weekend, but you and Rob also hadn’t been in a relationship at the time. You had kept your affection for each other confined to the greenroom and your hotel room. You were sure no one had even noticed you two together. Here, it was a different story. You were officially in a relationship with him; and now you would be in this small space with him and all of these fans waiting outside. You were mostly uneasy with thoughts about what they would say about you if they knew. Life behind the scenes in the entertainment business definitely showed you how fans often behaved, without you ever having to experience it for yourself.

You ordered a drink, thanking the bartender as you paid. You glanced around at the few people in the room that you didn’t know. That’s when you noticed Billy and Mike enter. You smiled, grateful to see a couple of faces that you recognized.

“Y/N!” Billy exclaimed upon seeing you. The two men approached you, each giving you quick hugs.

“Hey guys, it’s good to see you again.”

“It’s good to see you at one of our shows,” said Mike, “you’re gonna have fun. These are a lot different from our convention shows.”

“I’m excited to hear what you will play tonight. I’ve been catching up on all your music, which isn’t easy to do in a week.”

The two men laughed and turned their attention to setting up their gear on the small stage. You remained seated at the bar, just watching. Eventually, Stephen joined them as Rob returned to the room. He set up his guitar and worked on the microphone before making his way back to you.

“Starting early?” he asked, referring to the drink in your hand.

“Yeah, might help calm my nerves,” you replied, taking a sip.

“There’s nothing to be nervous about,” he said as he wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you closer. “Really, no one is going to hate you. In fact, I have a feeling that our fans will love you just as much as I do.”

You raised an eyebrow at him, “wouldn’t that be a little weird?”

“I guess it would be…” he answered with a chuckle, “I just want everyone to know that you’re mine. I want them all to see me with the most beautiful woman in the room.” You leaned in, giving him a kiss.

“Take it easy there, Rob,” you said, giving him a smirk. Before he could object, Mike was calling to him, motioning for him to join the rest of the band.

“We’re just gonna do soundcheck real quick,” he explained. You nodded, taking another sip of your drink. You watched him walk away from you, wondering to yourself how you had gotten so lucky. He was attentive and apparently not afraid to let the world know that you were together. You, on the other hand, were not used to having other people involved in your relationships, especially fans.

Even having been in the music business for so many years, you considered yourself pretty lucky to be able to make music without having to deal with the attention that came along with it for actual performers. Sure, there had been a time when you strongly considered becoming a performer yourself. You didn’t always like the idea of writing songs and giving them to other people, and you had always been commented on how good your voice was. It had been your relationship with Chris that had stopped those dreams dead in their tracks years ago. You had spent a lot of time playing it off like you never wanted to perform, never wanted to sing in front of others… but, deep down, you had wanted to pursue that part of your music. It was difficult though, when you had someone that you loved telling you that you weren’t good enough and that you should leave the singing to the people that could actually sing.

You chased your thoughts from your head as the band began their soundcheck. You watched intently as they went through a couple songs. When they finished rehearsing, Rob joined you again, this time leading you away to a smaller room at the back of the venue. You waited there with the guys as the doors had opened out front, allowing fans to make their way into the space. You pulled Rob’s hand up to you, checking the time on his watch.

After a short time, you decided to return to the main area, not wanting people to see you walk out with Rob. Besides, you needed to find a spot to watch from and they were about to take the stage anyway.

You made your way back to the bar, ordering another drink before you began to weave your way through the crowd. You found an open spot against a wall to the right and leaned back as you watched fans fill the room. Luckily, it was a small venue; your view of the stage was not blocked and you didn’t feel too claustrophobic.

When the guys took the stage, the crowd whistled and cheered just as they had done at the convention show. You smiled to yourself, proud at how much their fans loved them. The band wasted no time, and delved right into their set. You watched the audience sing along and dance, faces plastered with smiles, as the band continued to play through their set.

At one point, you felt your heart ache as you watched Rob and the guys play. They were pretty amazing. Not only did they write their own music and songs, but they could perform. They looked so comfortable up there on there on stage; engaging the crowd, taking part in some funny banter, and generally looking so happy to be up there playing music. Rob had such a commanding presence on that stage. You were still amazed at how he could go from being awkwardly shy in everyday situations to being so confident on stage. You understood of course, music can do that to a person. You remembered starting out as a singer/songwriter in the business, performing in bars during open mic nights. Being on stage was definitely something that could bring out the best in people. The ache in your chest was from the realization that you had let one person bring you down so much that you gave up on the idea of ever being a performer. The ache was from seeing Rob up there, confident and amazing… but realizing that you were neither of those.

“We’re gonna slow it down a bit,” you heard Rob say suddenly. You must have really been lost in thought for a while since you didn’t even realize that they weren’t playing a song at the moment.

“I wrote this song a few days ago, so you’ve never heard it. But I want to play it because I wrote it about someone…” he trailed off, sounding a bit nervous. You watched him as his eyes found you. He was looking at you as if asking for permission. You only gave him a smile, knowing that he wanted people to know that he had you. Although you had been feeling anxious about the idea, something about seeing him up there made you feel a little less uncomfortable about this. He took your smile as his cue that it was okay.

“I wrote this about someone that I fell in love with. I met her and then had to leave her after just a few days of getting to know her,” He cleared his throat, “but, I’ve got her back now. I just wanted to play this for her, since she’s here with me and hasn’t heard it yet. This is called ‘Homesick’.”

You blushed, covering your face as you could feel glances in your direction from some of the people in the crowd. They had easily spotted you since Rob didn’t once take his eyes off of you during his introduction to the song. When he and Billy began to play on their acoustics, the attention was shifted back to the stage and you felt yourself relax again. You focused on Rob, determined to hear the song.

You felt the flush in your face deepen as he sang. You maintained eye contact, getting lost in an almost intimate moment as he serenaded you yet again. You thought back to the convention and how he had played a song for you. That had been a sweet moment for sure, but this time felt different. He not only pointed you out in front of his fans, but he was singing something that he had written for you.   
_  
_When the song ended, you couldn’t wipe the permanent grin off your face. You suddenly no longer cared who knew about you. You now felt a surge of confidence in this relationship with Rob. He wanted everyone to know that he had you, and you felt that you were ready for everyone to know as well.

* * *

When the show ended, you made your way through the crowd again to find Rob. It was easy to do since it was such a small venue. When you did find him, he pulled you in for another hug, still not sure if he should be more affectionate after what you had said to him earlier.

“Are you gonna kiss me or what, Benedict?” you said when he pulled away. He laughed and brought his lips to meet yours. You shared a long kiss, surrounded by people who were obviously watching. You let him kiss you, no longer concerned with what people would think of you. After all, he was yours and he wanted everyone to know it. Your kiss ended and you stepped aside as he and the guys hung out, talking to fans and taking pictures. Occasionally, one of the fans would look in your direction, studying you and possibly judging you. You tried to remain comfortable and not let it get to you. “ _They are just curious as to who you are and what made Rob take such an interest in you,”_ you told yourself, trying hard to believe your own thoughts. Mostly, they just ignored you. Everyone was focused on the band and clamoring to get their photos and autographs in. So, you just waited patiently.

Leaning against a wall as Rob continued to chat with fans, you were startled when a woman approached you.

“Hey, you’re the girl, right?” she asked, pointing at you and making a face as if she was trying to place your face.

“Excuse me?” you replied, not really sure what she meant.

“The girl from the Nashville convention,” a look of realization came over her face, “you’re the girl in the pictures.”

“I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

“They’re all over social media,” she continued.

“What?” you were slightly confused now. What pictures? What was she talking about?

The woman pulled out her phone and began to thumb through her apps until she found what she was looking for. She scrolled through, bringing up a tweet that she must have saved.

“Here,” she said, shoving the phone up to your face so you could see. Sure enough, there it was… a series of pictures of you and Rob. You could tell they were taken on the day that Rob went back to L.A. You were both in the hotel lobby, saying your goodbyes. There was a photo of the two of you embracing and another of you kissing. You felt a bit creeped out that someone had stood by and actually taken these pictures. It had been a private moment between you and Rob, or so you thought. It may have been the only time during that weekend when you weren’t careful to not be affectionate in public.

“Oh,” was all you could say. You were still weirded out, now feeling increasingly uncomfortable at the realization of how many people have seen these by now.

The woman put her phone away, smiling at you, “it’s okay, there are always those types of fans.”

“Well, yeah… okay, that’s me,” you explained, “I just didn’t realize there were pictures out there.”

“Yeah, it’s no big deal. They get mostly positive comments, not too many haters,” she paused, examining your face again which made your level of anxiety reach its peak. Something about the way this woman looked at you felt just as creepy as knowing that people took pictures of you and Rob together.

“You, know,” she added, “I feel like I know you from somewhere else,” she was still staring at you.

“I don’t think so,” you replied, averting your eyes.

“Yeah, is your name Y/N?” You looked back to her in shock.

“How do you know my name?”

Her face lit up when she realized that she had it figured out, “Yeah, I know you! I know your boyfriend.”

You looked at her, confused, “you know Rob?”

“No,” she laughed, “that’s cute though. I meant your actual boyfriend, Chris.”

You felt your stomach tighten at the mention of his name. Suddenly feeling sick, you looked for an escape route. You didn’t know who this woman was or what she wanted, but you felt like you had to get away from her quickly.

“I don’t know you,” you said sharply, “and Chris is not my boyfriend anymore. He left me. I don’t know what you’re getting at…”

“He says otherwise,” she cut you off. You looked at her again, this time filled with anger.

“Look, obviously you’re not someone I care to talk about this with, since apparently you know him but I don’t know you. It’s none of your business, and I’m not sure why you even brought this up.”

She shrugged casually, “I don’t know, he just asked me to see if you were here tonight. He said you were cheating on him and he knew who you were cheating on him with. I’m his friend, so I agreed to check it out. He wanted me to let you know that he is aware,” she said, pointing back to Rob who was standing behind her, still hanging out with fans.

You felt like you wanted to vomit. What seemed like a hundred different emotions began to course through you. You were angry and scared all at once. He was having people spy on you, and he wasn’t afraid to have them let you know what he was doing. Even worse, he knew who you were with. He knew about Rob. Your breath caught as you watched him standing there, smiling and laughing with people, unaware of the situation. You felt dizzy, panicked. Glancing back at the woman, you could only form a few words.

“You can tell him to leave me the hell alone,” before she had the chance to respond, you pushed past her. Still dizzy, you approached Rob.

“Rob, I need to leave,” you said when he noticed you. His happiness faded as he saw your face.

“Wh-what? What happened?” he grabbed your hands, squeezing them in any attempt to calm you down.

“Nothing,” you spat out. You didn’t want to seem so angry or panicked, but you suddenly felt as if the room was closing in on you. “I just need to leave… I can’t breathe.” Your voice came in short gasps.

He pulled you in to him, walking you toward the doors. You could feel tears streaming down your face as your breathing remained ragged. Your chest tightened and you felt your hands begin to go numb. Once outside, Rob led you to the side of the building, still holding you. You could feel him brush your hair aside as you buried your face into his chest, now sobbing. He was whispering to you, but you couldn’t tell what he was saying. Whatever it was, you felt yourself begin to relax after a few minutes of listening to his voice.

You let him hold you, not bringing your face from his chest. He rubbed your back, placing kisses on your head. When you had finally calmed down, he pulled you back, cupping your face in your hands. He looked at you with a concerned smile.

“I think you just had a panic attack,” he said softly, “there was a lot of people in there, maybe it was too much for you. I’ve had them before, you’ll be okay.” He kissed you gently as your crying stopped.

“Thank you,” was all you could say as he continued to hold you. You thought about telling him the real reason you had panicked, but decided against it. You had already ruined his night, you really didn’t want to make things worse.

“I’ve got to go back in for just a few more minutes, okay?” he said, “you can wait here if you want, or you can come back in with me if you’re ready.”

Your head was swimming with thoughts now. You kept replaying the conversation that you had had with the woman inside, the tightness in your stomach returning as you did so. This wasn’t fair. You suddenly regretted having brought Rob into this with you. You really thought you could make this work, that you could get away from your past and not put Rob in the middle of it. But, you had been wrong. Chris was relentless. He had placed someone in your way tonight that you didn’t know, someone who could threaten you without him having to be directly involved. And, he knew about Rob. He had told you that he would figure out where you were and who you were with. Well, he had figured it out, and he had done so quickly. You knew that going through with the restraining order might help to protect you against him, but your biggest worry right now was Rob. What if you couldn’t do anything to keep him safe?

“Are you okay?” Rob asked. You looked at him, still running the possibilities over in your mind. You wanted him. You wanted to be with him so badly. But you also loved him and wanted to keep him out of this. So, you did the only thing that you could think of that ensured that he would no longer be in danger.

“Rob…” you hesitated, not wanting to say what you knew you had to say, “I can’t do this anymore.” You felt the tears again as the words left your mouth. He just looked at you in shock, his face dropped and you recognized the moment in which you had just broken his heart.

“Y/N…” he said as he moved toward you. You wanted to let him hold you again, but you stepped back from his hands.

“This isn’t working,” you continued, heart shattering as you began to lie to him, “I thought this would be a good thing, but I’m… I’m just not ready for this.” You felt yourself growing angry again, not at him, but at the situation. You were angry that you had to do this and you let that anger play out as if it was directed at him. “I asked you not to bring attention to me in there, I didn’t want people to know about us… but you did it anyway. I sort of feel like I can’t trust you anymore.”

It was stupid and you knew it, calling him out on that. Especially when you had egged it on, kissing him in front of everyone. But you didn’t know what else to do in this moment. You had to come up with a good reason for walking away from him, without having to bring up what had just occurred inside. This was all you could think of though. Berate him for doing something that you asked him not to do, even though you had changed your mind about it.

“I-I don’t understand…” you turned away from him, unable to look him in the face, “I thought we were on the same page here.”

“No, you are the one who couldn’t just let it be. And now everyone knows and I had to sit through your fans in there talking about me…” you swallowed hard as the lies left your mouth. You felt horrible.

“Y/N, it’s okay. There are always a couple of fans like that, but most of them aren’t,” he tried to assure you. He had moved closer, hands finding your face, stroking along your tear-stained cheeks. “It’s just something you’ll get used to.”

You pulled your face from his hands, “no I won’t. Because I’m done,” again, your body ached at the words. Words that you shouldn’t be saying, because you were lying to him right now. You hated yourself for it, but you wanted to get the message across that it was over. Maybe then he could go on with his life without you dragging him through your messes. “This was stupid. We moved too fast and I never should have said that I loved you.”

Rob breathed in sharply, pain coursing across his face. He didn’t say anything, just continued to look at you as if you had just stabbed him in the chest. You took that as your cue to leave.

“You finish up here, I’m going to go to your place and get my things. I’ll leave the key and I’ll be gone before you get home.” You turned from him, making your way down the street. You were crying again, heartbroken as you walked away from him. You had never felt pain like this, you had never wanted to do this to him of all people. As you hailed a cab, you tried to force back loud sobs that were building up. You didn’t even look back, you couldn’t. You knew you couldn’t look at his face again without it destroying you because of what you had just done. Getting in the cab, you gave the driver the address and continued to cry into your hands. It was not supposed to be this way. You were supposed to be with Rob, you knew it. The only thing that brought you the slightest bit of comfort right now was knowing that you had eliminated him from the situation that you had caused. If he was out of the picture, Chris would be less likely to keep interest in following him.

You sighed heavily, leaning your head against the back of the seat. You weren’t sure what to do next. You felt lost again. You wondered if you could do anything to make Chris stop. You wondered if you had done the right thing. Despite all of your thoughts about this, telling yourself that you were only protecting Rob, you couldn’t help but feel deep down that you had made the wrong decision. The tightness in your stomach and the ache in your chest remained, and you weren’t sure if you would ever feel better.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader has just broken Rob’s heart and spends weeks ignoring him. She focuses on a new career in music, but her plans may be derailed when the unexpected happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this part, the Reader performs “Things That Break” by Miranda Lambert.

The following weeks were not easy. You had collected your things from Rob’s place and left, holing yourself up in a hotel for a while. You followed through with the restraining order against Chris, knowing that it might be the only thing you could do to get him to leave you alone. You did your part, filing the paperwork, receiving a temporary restraining order for a while, and then having to attend a court date. The hardest part of it all was being in the same room as him. You were forced to relive the past abuse, something that had never really come easy to you. You had enough proof that he was dangerous to you; threatening text messages and a photo of your most recent run in with him, which Rob had insisted on taking after he had seen the bruise. You felt grateful to him for that since you didn’t have anyone to serve as a witness to the past few years of your relationship with Chris.

After some time in the court room, you eventually got your restraining order. You breathed a sigh of relief as it stated that Chris couldn’t be within 100 feet of you, forced him from your residence (since the home you had shared was in your name), and made sure that he stopped contact with you in any way.

You were eventually able to return to your home. Only now, it didn’t feel like home as you stood in your living room. It had been weeks since you left Rob. But, you still felt yourself missing his company, missing his place and how safe you felt there. Sure, you had a restraining order against Chris now, but you knew it was a piece of paper. A document that didn’t really protect you from anything. You only felt slight relief in knowing that Chris wasn’t a complete idiot. He wouldn’t do anything to get himself into trouble.

You began to work on erasing your past from your home, hoping that it would help you to move on. Every photo and memory that you shared with Chris during your tumultuous relationship went in the trash. You had no regrets as you worked at getting rid of him completely. The only regret that you felt now is what you had done to Rob. As you worked and cleaned, you kept replaying those words in your head, _“I should have never told you that I loved you.”_ Your heart ached all over again at the lie, in fact, it had never stopped aching. You had spent the past few weeks thinking of him, no matter how hard you tried not to. You had hoped that you had hurt him enough to keep him away, but the weeks had been filled with phone calls that you didn’t answer and text messages that you left on read. No matter how badly you wanted to answer his calls and talk to him or how much you wanted to text him back telling him that you made a mistake, you remained strong in your decision to not have him involved in this.

Sometimes, you would listen to his voicemails that you kept saved on your phone, just to hear his voice. A move that you knew was stupid, because it only made things worse. You would replay them, crying at how hurt he sounded as he questioned what had happened and why you had done this.

Not only were you screening his calls, but you found yourself avoiding calls from his friends. You knew that they had to know by now. The group had just been at a convention in North Carolina a couple of weekends ago, you knew because it was one that Rob had insisted you attend with him. But those plans had been shattered. Now, you were sure that they recognized that their friend was not okay. Perhaps he had told them everything. They had to know something had happened, because you were getting calls and texts from Kim, Briana, and even Rich. You had opted to ignore them completely, especially their voicemails. You really didn’t need Rob’s friends telling you how horrible you were for hurting him.

You avoided social media, as you usually did. You were all too familiar with how these conventions popped up all over the internet, fans discussing the event in depth, photos of the cast and crew plastered all over. You couldn’t bring yourself to know what he was doing and how he was doing right now.

After spending most of the day cleaning and gutting your house, you sat on the couch. You felt suddenly alone, and sad. Even with all of the memories gone, it still felt foreign to you. You hadn’t been home in over a month, and you began to feel like this was not where you belonged. You knew where your place was, but it couldn’t happen. Not when you couldn’t be sure that Rob was safe and not involved in this. Getting the restraining order did not necessarily guarantee his safety, you knew that. Hell, it didn’t even guarantee yours. You knew that this was the only way. You had to keep yourself away from Rob.

* * *

You had been back home for some time, learning to be on your own again. It had been another couple of weeks before you decided to get back to work. The pain that you constantly felt over losing Rob never did subside like you expected it to. But you still kept your distance, and used your music to vent instead. You wrote constantly now, playing sad music on your guitar, crying to yourself as you sang the new songs you had been writing. Every time you opened the journal that Rob had given you, you felt immense guilt. Guilt over how you had ended things, guilt over having lied to him so much, You were wallowing in self-pity and you knew it. You hadn’t even left your house in days, you were too sad, too focused on releasing your pain into songs. After a few days of this, you knew you had to do something. You had to do anything to keep yourself from losing it.

You spoke to a friend in the business who was willing to give you some time in the studio.

“What? You’re abandoning the reclusive songwriter persona to become a performer now?” he had asked jokingly as you walked into the studio, your old acoustic in hand.

“Something like that,” you laughed, “I’ve just been working on a lot of things for a few months, and they’re just not songs that I want to give away,” you thought about Rob’s comment to you considering songwriting. He had told you once that he couldn’t understand how you could give away your words to someone else. You had laughed it off at the time, but now you understood what he meant. Sometimes, certain words weren’t meant for anyone else.

You spent the entire week in the studio, just recording everything that you had poured your heart into. By the end of the week, your agent had called, asking about your recording session. You sat in the studio, guitar still in hand as you answered his questions. You explained to him that you felt ready to branch out.

“Really?” he asked you as you spoke with him over the phone, “my elusive poet… what changed?”

You thought hard at the question, knowing exactly what had changed your mind, “I don’t know Mark, just life I guess. I no longer have someone telling me that I can’t do it. I met someone who told me that I should sing… “you trailed off, thinking about Rob again.

“Well, I don’t know who this person is, but I’m glad someone got through to you. I’ve been saying for years that you need to sing your own songs.”

“I know, it just took some time for me to realize that I could do it,” you replied, smiling at his statement.

“Look, I can check into maybe booking you somewhere to play live. Might be something small, there are enough people who are at least familiar with you as a songwriter, I’m sure we could get a great turn out.”

“I think that would be a great idea,” you said, unsure of what was coming over you. You had always been very quiet, not wanting to be known. But here you were, making plans to get yourself out there as a musician.

“I’ll keep in touch and we’ll get something put together.” Your agent assured you, “and hey, I really am glad you’ve finally decided to do this.”

“Me too,” you said. You silently praised Rob for this. He had been the one to encourage you. Although you had damaged that relationship beyond repair, you had never stopped loving him. You never stopped thinking about him. In a way, you were doing all of this because of him. He had believed in you and you felt it your obligation to give it a try, for him… no matter how much he must hate you right now.

You left the studio that evening feeling excited about everything. It felt good to be doing something that you had always wanted to do, but were told that you would fail at. You pulled your phone out as you walked to your car, immediately thinking about calling Rob to tell him what you had been up to. Of course, you stopped yourself, kicking yourself for even thinking about it. You often found yourself doing this; getting the phone out to call him, as if it were nothing. No matter how long it had been since you had even seen him last, he still felt like home. He still felt like the only person that you could turn to with these things. You pocketed your phone again and made your way to your car.

As you worked at unlocking the door, a sudden wave of nausea came over you. You stopped, feeling slightly dizzy, steadying yourself with one hand against the car. You forced yourself not to vomit right  then and there, and eventually the nausea passed. _Great, now you were getting sick just as you were working on your songs._ You shook your head at your luck. “If it isn’t one thing, it’s another,” you said out loud to yourself. When you were sure the nausea wasn’t coming back, you got into your car and made your way home.

Suddenly exhausted as you entered your house, you didn’t bother with changing your clothes. You plopped down on your bed, willing away another round of nausea that hit you. You thought about what you had eaten earlier, you were sure that it wasn’t anything that would make you sick. You and your friend had ordered from a restaurant that you ate at regularly with no issues. You figured you were just coming down with something, so you laid in bed until you fell asleep.

* * *

You woke up, darting out of bed, making it to the bathroom just in time to realize that you willing away the nausea wasn’t going to work anymore. When you had finished, you splashed your face with cold water from the sink, looking at yourself in the mirror. This was no time to get sick. You looked exhausted, and you felt it too.

You made your way back to your room. Finding your phone, you called your friend at the studio to let him know that you weren’t feeling well and had to take the day off. You hung up and changed into comfier clothes before crawling back into bed to rest. You laid in bed for a few hours, watching episodes of Supernatural. You had started them while in Nashville and never really had the time to keep going. You knew you were only putting yourself through unnecessary pain as you were on season 4, because you knew Rob’s episodes were coming up. You felt that you could push through them though, but when his face showed up on the screen, you could only shut the TV off. It was still too painful. And you felt so sick right now that you didn’t want to add heartbreak to the equation.

Your agent called as you were lost in thought. You answered and he began to explain that he had found a venue for you to play and that there was already interest in the music industry for some big wigs to come see you play. You offered “uh-huhs” and “yeahs” in response to his plans, still fighting back the urge to vomit.

“What’s wrong, Y/N?” he asked, concern in his voice.

“Nothing, I think I’ve just come down with something… the flu maybe. I’ve been throwing up all morning.”

“Dang, that’s too bad. Have you at least eaten today?” he was using his dad voice now. You laughed at his concern. He always did treat you like one of his kids.

“No. I can’t leave my house. I’m pretty miserable and don’t think I can fend for myself,” you whined, looking for sympathy.

“I’ll have something sent over,” he offered. You thanked him before ending the call, grateful to have one person who cared for you in your life still.

You were able to climb out of bed and answer the door when the delivery came. You thanked the young mad for bringing the food, being sure to tip him for his troubles. You glanced at the receipt, noticing that your agent had sent over some soup and a sandwich. Your mouth watered as you realized how starved you were. The meal would be light enough to not make you feel worse.

However, when you opened the cup of soup, another bout of nausea hit you as you smelled the aroma. You raced to the bathroom again, not sure why you had such a sudden aversion to the smell of chicken noodle soup. You had nothing in your stomach, you only waited for the dry heaving to pass; feeling more miserable than ever.

You sat on the cold bathroom floor, thinking hard about what had made you so sick. You hadn’t eaten anything spoilt, in fact, you had felt fine all day yesterday… even hours later after your last meal. You hadn’t been around anyone who had been sick. You thought about your symptoms for a moment, trying to piece together what this was.

Sudden nausea, exhaustion, food aversion… then it hit you. You felt your heart race at the realization. This couldn’t be happening right now, but it was the only thing that made sense.

“Fuck,” you said out loud, running your hands through your hair as another wave of nausea rushed over you.

* * *

Days later, you sat in the studio again. You had been feeling a bit better, still battling the nausea occasionally. You were able to push through more recording even though singing the songs made you even more emotional now than when you had actually written them. After a particular difficult take of a song, you decided to take a break, relaxing on the sofa for a moment. You held your phone in your hand, hovering your thumb over Rob’s name in your contact list as you had noticed yourself doing for the past couple days. You knew you had to call him eventually. This wasn’t something that you could keep from him, it was too cruel.

You thought back to the day when the realization had hit you. You had managed to force yourself from your house to get to the store, somehow making in there and back without throwing up everywhere. You had returned home, shaking as you waited for the dreaded result to show up on that stupid little stick. What felt like hours of waiting, had only been mere minutes as the plus sign appeared. Beforehand, you weren’t sure what you were feeling. You were sure that you were pregnant, and you didn’t feel too panicked about it at the time. It wasn’t until you saw the result that you lost it, curled up on your bathroom floor, crying harder than you had ever cried.

After the initial shock, came the numbness. You had gone through the past three days almost oblivious to any emotion. Even after seeing the doctor, who confirmed that you were pregnant. Your breakdowns in the studio were not so much a result of being overly sad, you actually didn’t know why you were crying half the time. You chalked it up to hormones.

A million thoughts had been racing through your mind. You thought of how stupid you had been… how stupid you had both been. Not only did you rush into the short-lived romance, but neither of you had even thought to be careful about it. You thought about Rob a lot. You thought about where he might be, what he was doing, who he was with. You wondered if he was okay. The phone calls and messages had died out recently. You knew that he must have finally taken a hint and realized that you didn’t want to talk to him. A larger part of you wished that he was still blowing up your phone. You missed him. You missed him terribly. But you reminded yourself that you had broken his heart and left him giving him no real explanation, you had successfully ignored him for going on two months in an attempt to keep him out of the mess that Chris had created. You felt sick at the realization of how long it had been since you had seen him last. It wasn’t getting easier, and your current situation made it that much more difficult.

You decided again, not to call him. You knew you should, he deserved to know. But you didn’t feel ready for that yet. You weren’t sure if you would ever feel ready, but all you could do was keep trying to find that moment when you would break it to him.

* * *

Before you knew it, another couple of weeks had passed. You still hadn’t called Rob, and the guilt that you were feeling about that began to gnaw at the back of your mind. You thought about it constantly. Wondering why you couldn’t bring yourself to do it.

Now, you had to prepare for this show tonight that you had foolishly agreed to. You were surprised at how much interest was shown. Your agent told you that there were some important people who would be there. The tickets themselves sold out surprisingly quick. You remembered that although you weren’t a performer, many people were still familiar with your name as it was attached to some popular songs recorded by big artists. At least you had a small enough following of people who respected you as a songwriter. You were beginning to have second thoughts though.

Maybe it was nerves, or the fact that you constantly felt sick and exhausted, but you really began to regret your decision of going through with this. You weren’t even sure if you could get up there in front of everyone and sing without breaking down. The crying was happening so often now. Your out of control hormones mixed with your sadness that you still felt over Rob were really making you a mess. But you had to do it. A lot of people had went through so much to get this set up for you.

You got ready at home, taking your time, still uncomfortable with the queasiness in your stomach. You had been trying everything you had read about to ease morning sickness. Not much was working and you worried that you might be so nervous tonight that you would lose it on stage. You pushed those thoughts away, focusing on getting ready before you had to leave.

* * *

 

You arrived at the venue, realizing only now that this was the same venue that you had watched Rob’s band play in months earlier. It was the same place that you broke his heart. You felt a pang in your chest as you replayed that night in your mind. You wished that you had paid more attention to where this thing was set up at, maybe then you could have avoided it altogether. Sighing heavily, you forced yourself out of the car and made your way inside.

Your agent, Mark, was already waiting for you when you entered the room.

“Y/N!” he exclaimed, bringing you into a hug, “are you excited? Nervous? Need a drink?”

You smirked at him, “so excited I could throw up, so nervous I could literally run out of here right now, and I’ll take a hard pass on the drink,” you answered him truthfully causing him to laugh loudly.

“That’s my girl!” he said, clapping his hand on your back, “let’s get you set up, you’re on in about an hour.”

You gave him a nervous smile and followed him as he led you to the stage that you were all too familiar with. You quietly began to unpack your guitar, setting it up before you began to place the microphone stand where you wanted it.

“You still play that old thing?” he asked, motioning toward your guitar.

“Yeah, I find that my others don’t really have the same soul to them as this one does…” you trailed off, running your hand down its neck, “we’ve been through a lot together.” Mark smiled at your sentiment.

“I’m sure she still sounds amazing.”

“Oh, she does. I’ve written a lot of songs with her.” You faked a smile, only remembering all of the songs that you would sing tonight were going to be painful ones.

* * *

It all happened so quickly, the start of your first show. You were suddenly up on stage, lights blaring in your face, the room filled with people that you didn’t know. You felt sick to your stomach the entire time, but managed to keep it together for the most part.

You played a handful of songs, trying hard not to cry as your emotions built up over the meanings behind them. Near the end of your set, it had become a little easier. You were talking in between songs, sharing short stories about the writing process. You glanced around the room, trying to take it all in now that you weren’t so nervous. You were actually smiling and feeling happy to be there. The crowd was great, cheering you on and applauding you after each song ended. You wanted to see their faces, all of these people who had come out to support you. As you were scanning the room, you began to explain your final song.

“This one is called, ‘Things That Break’ and I guess it’s about not really understanding love…” you trailed off again, still scanning the crowd. You glanced toward the back of the room and your heart skipped a beat. You stopped on the man standing in the back. _“It couldn’t be…”_ you thought to yourself. But the harder you stared, the more you recognized him, even with these lights in your face. You didn’t want to look uncomfortable up here in front of all these people, so you cleared your throat, finishing your train of thought, “it’s about hurting people and realizing that it’s best to stay away from things that break so easily.”

You never looked away from him as you said these words. You couldn’t bring yourself to. Strangely, it was your way of explaining everything to him the best you could. You wondered why he was there in the first place. It had literally been months since you had seen each other, yet there he was. You felt the ache return as you began to play.

 _I was born a bull in a china cabinet_  
_Drawn to the delicate like it’s a magnet_  
 _Perfume bottles on a mirror tray_  
 _Tempered glass on a window pane_  
 _Timeless face on a pocket watch_  
 _Time is ticking_  
  
_I leave it all in ruins_  
 _Cause I don’t know what I’m doing_  
 _I’m hard on things that matter_  
 _Hold a heart so tight it shatters_  
 _So I stay away from things that break_

  
You played through the song, trying hard not to stare at Rob in the back of the room. Your heartbeat pounded in your ears, nervousness coursing through you as you tried to comprehend the fact that he was there. You didn’t want to see how he was looking at you, you were sure he was there to eventually confront you over what you had put him through. You closed your eyes tight, trying not to cry. You couldn’t deal with this right now, but you finished the song, only struggling through at the last verse and chorus.

When you were done, the crowd cheered louder and it seemed as if the praises would never stop. You averted your eyes to the floor, thanking everyone, waiting for the moment when you could leave. You had felt pretty confident up there, right up until you spotted Rob. Now, all you could think about was escaping and going home. But you knew you’d have to stay to mingle.

Luckily, when you did leave the stage, you were quickly surrounded by some of the guests from the industry. You half-listened to them praise you and discuss recording and getting you out there as an artist. Things that should have had your complete attention were lost to you right now. You found yourself glancing around the room, checking to see if Rob was still there. You didn’t spot him though, even after searching for a while. You figured that he had left, realizing that he shouldn’t have been there in the first place. You relaxed a bit, losing yourself in the conversations and excitement over your first performance.

The night had ended, guests and fans had slowly trickled out of the venue. You were left with Mark, still basking in the excitement of the night.

You took his arm as you headed for the doors to leave.

“That went amazingly well, Y/N,” he told you, “people are really excited about this.”

You blushed, “Thanks. It felt really good.”

As you stepped out into the cool nighttime air, you watched Mark as he headed out, smiling fondly at him.

You turned to head in the opposite direction, only taking a few steps before you stopped suddenly when you saw him standing just a few feet from you.

“Rob,” you said quietly, still shocked to even see him there.

“Hey,” he said, giving you a pained smile. He shoved his hands into his pockets nervously. The two of you stood there, staring at each other for a while, both unable to find the words to say.

“I saw that you were playing here tonight,” he began after what seemed like forever, “I really thought hard about coming back here… especially after everything…” he swallowed hard, still looking at you with sadness in his eyes.

“But,” he continued, “you wouldn’t answer my calls or my texts… and for some reason I thought it would be a good idea to just show up.”

You still didn’t know what to say to him. You stayed quiet, waiting for him to tell you off because of what you had done. God knows, you deserved it. But he didn’t. He didn’t yell at you or tell you what a horrible person you were. He waited for you to speak.

“Rob, I know this has been hard… it’s been hard on me too, but you shouldn’t have come here tonight. I don’t know what you want from me,” you were still trying to push him away, trying to be cold and unfeeling.

“I sort of feel like I at least deserve an explanation.” He explained. You could see the tears begin to well up in his eyes.

“I don’t have one for you,” you replied.

He scoffed at you, looking away, unamused by your coldness toward him.

“I know you do. I know that something happened that night that made you freak out. I know you didn’t mean what you said…”

“I’ve been ignoring your calls for a reason,” you said, cutting him off. Even you flinched at the harshness in your words.

“Then tell me why?” he asked you, “why are you ignoring me? Why did you push me away?”

You were getting upset again. A mixture of anger at the situation and the pain of seeing him again began to grow within you. You began to cry, pissed off at the fact that any of this ever had to happen. You wanted to continue to lie to him because it was easier. You wanted to pretend that you didn’t love him and you wanted to tell him that you never wanted to see him again. In your mind, you knew that you couldn’t lie anymore. This had all been so unfair. You still wanted to keep him away from you and the possibility of Chris coming back to make your life hell again.

“I did it because I love you!” you shouted, tears streaming down your face. You hadn’t meant for that thought to leave your lips.

He stared at you, confused by your statement.

“I don’t understand…” he said, shaking his head, “how can you do that to me if you love me?”

“Because I just wanted to protect you,” you choked out, “I didn’t want you mixed up in my life anymore.”

He was silent again, so you used it to explain everything to him.

“He had someone follow me to your show that night. Some woman that I didn’t know. She told me that he had sent her there, to let me know that he knew where I was and who I was with. He knew about you. I freaked out because I know what he is capable of… and I didn’t want you to be involved in that. He was threatening you, and I had to keep you out of it.” You felt the weight that you had been carrying around for months lift off your shoulders. The weight that you carried knowing that you had lied to him and hurt him for so long.

“Y/N… why didn’t you just tell me the truth?” he asked, only now moving toward you.

“Because I’m not good at facing the truth.” You said softly, ‘it’s easier for me to just not get close to anyone, it’s easier to lie. I only ever seem to screw things up.”

Before you could continue, Rob took your face in his hands. You looked up into those blue eyes, heart racing with thoughts of what would happen next. Without saying another word, he crashed his lips into yours. You felt like you should push him away, but the feeling of having him kiss you made you change your mind. You grasped onto him, pulling him close. He moved his hands to the back of your head, fisting his hands in your hair. You kissed each other as if you had been starved for it. Your head spun and your legs weakened at the taste of him. It had been so long. You could still feel your tears staining your cheeks as he kissed you feverishly. You knew that this was not the route to take if you still wanted to keep him out of everything, but you didn’t care anymore. If he was willing to stay despite your fucked up life, you knew you couldn’t resist him forever.

When you pulled away from each other, gasping for air, he rested his forehead against yours. You hummed in appreciation at the habit that he continued to do after every time he ever kissed you.

“Please, Y/N,” was all he said after a while.

“I’m so sorry,” you said, “I never should have hurt you. I never should have lied to you.”

“I understand why… but I can’t keep going on like this,” he explained, still resting his head against yours, “I’ve been a wreck the past couple of months. I was so angry with you, I thought I could just get over you on anger alone. But I couldn’t. I can’t… I just can’t,” he stuttered out the last part of his sentence.

“What do we do?” you asked, unsure of whether or not he was trying to get you back or if he was going to choose to walk away.

“We just get through this,” he answered, moving back to look you in your eyes, “I know you don’t want me involved in all of that, but I am and I have been. I want to be.”

You breathed a sigh of relief. While you had done a damn good job of pushing him away and avoiding him for so long, you couldn’t help but feel relieved that he was still willing to fight for you.

“I was so horrible to you,” you replied, “I didn’t want to be. I just wanted to make you hate me…”

“I know, but I don’t hate you, I couldn’t.” he pulled you in to his body, holding you as if he were afraid to let go. You relaxed into him, head resting against his chest again. You breathed in deeply, getting lost in his scent for a moment. God, you had missed him so much. You didn’t know how you had become so fortunate to have him here right now after everything.

“I-I didn’t mean any of it…” your words came out stuttered, “all of those things I said to you… I didn’t mean them.”

He didn’t respond, he just continued to hold you, running a hand through your hair. After having spent months feeling so alone and sad; you found that in this small moment, you felt at home again. You weren’t sure if this would work again, especially after what you had done. But he was here, and he was fighting for you. You allowed yourself to melt into him, not wanting to ever let go again. You thought about the reasons why you had left in the first place, and you still felt that it wasn’t fair to allow him to be involved. You still wanted him safe.

But, you realized that the two of you had something that not many other people got the chance to have. You had rushed into this from the beginning, moving faster than you had ever moved with anyone. You thought back to the song that the two of you had written together when you returned from Nashville. Every time you thought that the two of you were being ridiculous, thinking that love could happen so quickly, you thought of that song. Those words were how you had felt at the time, they were still how you felt… and you knew that they were how Rob felt.

“I love you Rob…” you started, pulling away so that you could look at him, “I love you so much that it scares me sometimes.”

He turned his mouth up into a grin, running his fingertips along your cheek. “You have to know that I love you too, that’s why I showed up here. We just need to go through things together. No more pushing me away. No more hiding things from me.”

You smiled softly at him before returning to resting your head against his chest. He squeezed you tighter and you closed your eyes, thankful for having him with you again. It wasn’t until you let his words echo in your head again that you felt panic run through you. _“No more hiding things from me.”_ You felt that familiar queasiness in your stomach return. You knew you had something to tell him, something that you had been hiding from him for weeks. You only hoped that he could be as forgiving about this secret when you finally found the opportunity to tell him.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader finally tells Rob her secret. Will this be the one thing that he can’t forgive her for?

You couldn’t bring yourself to tell him. Not right now, when he was standing here, forgiving you for everything that you had done to him. Maybe it was selfish; but you wanted to remain in this moment with him for now, you didn’t want to possibly ruin it be springing such a bombshell on him right away. The guilt still ate at you though, knowing that you had so many opportunities to tell him, but chickening out every time.

“Come home, Y/N…” he whispered to you, still resting his chin on your head. You smiled at the words. Home. You hadn’t felt at home in months, not since you left.

Glancing up at him, you met his eyes, “Home?” you asked. He blushed, which was just as adorable as every other time you made him blush.

“Yes, just come home with me.”

You simply nodded. It might not be a great idea to rush into things yet again, but you missed him. You just wanted to be with him. Perhaps you could go back to the way things were, forget everything else that happened. Besides, you did have to tell him that you were pregnant.

“I took a cab here, so give me a minute, I’ll get another,” he explained, moving to reach for his phone in his pocket.

“It’s okay, I’ve got my car.” You motioned for him to follow you, which he did with a smile.

You drove to his place in silence. Not an uncomfortable silence, it was mostly just the two of you enjoying being around each other again.

When you arrived at his place, you suddenly felt nervous; just like that first night that the two of you had spent together. It had been so long since you had been here, and you didn’t know what to expect right now. He opened the door, allowing you to enter first. You wanted to kiss him again once you were both inside. You wanted to hold him and touch him again. But you restrained yourself, reminding yourself that it was almost as if the two of you were starting all over again. He also didn’t jump at you the way he used to the moment you were alone. Instead, he made his way to the bedroom, glancing back at you as if to ask you to join him.

You stood nervously at the entrance of his bedroom, watching him change into pajamas. He reached down onto the chair, grabbing a t-shirt before tossing it to you.

“Here, you don’t have your stuff here anymore, and this might be more comfortable to sleep in.”

“Thank you,” you muttered, still slightly uncomfortable by the situation. You undressed and slipped on the t-shirt, relaxing at how much better you felt in it. Rob pulled down the sheets and motioned for you to join him. You cocked your head at him, curious as to what exactly was happening right now.

“What is this?” you asked as you made your way to the bed, climbing in under the sheets next to him.

“Don’t act like you’ve never shared a bed with me,” he laughed.

You waited for him to direct you as to what you should do. He must have read your mind because he simply laid an arm out, which you took as your cue to snuggle up next to him. It felt so much better to be here with him. You had almost forgotten how good it felt to just be in his arms. You leaned up to look at him, finding his lips with yours. He kissed you back, slightly reluctant, but after a while, he let the kiss deepen. He began to explore your body with his hands, as if he hadn’t touched you before.

“Are we starting over?” he asked you, lips still ghosting yours, “Or are we picking up where we left off?”

You considered the two options. Picking up from where you had left off might be the easiest route. Just go back to how happy you had been, pretend that the last two months hadn’t happened. Starting over was no longer really an option. Especially now with you and the secret you had been keeping from him. You knew you needed to tell him. You wanted to so badly. But the way he was touching you and kissing you right now made it so that you couldn’t think straight. You wanted to be honest, but you figured it could wait, at least until tomorrow.

“Right where we left off…” you replied in short gasps as his hands worked their way under your shirt. Rob wasted no time. He crashed his lips with yours again, tongue tracing your lips. His hands worked at removing your shirt, to which you sat up to make the job easier for him. You worked at removing his clothes, breathing harder with the anticipation of what was to come. He pushed you back onto the bed, holding your arms above your head, mouth finding that spot on your neck which caused you to moan out loud. The sounds you made always pushed him farther. He became almost frantic now, moving himself between your thighs, teasing you for a moment before pushing himself into you. You gasped as he did so, grinning at how amazing he felt.

You half-expected him to take his time with you, as he usually liked to do. But, the both of you wanted each other so badly right now. He wasted no time in thrusting into you, but you didn’t mind. You had went months without touching each other, and all that the two of you wanted right now was instant release. He moved fast, still kissing you as if he couldn’t get enough of your lips. Every thrust had you moaning and gasping at the pleasure. You finally removed your arms from his grasp, moving them down to dig fingertips into his back, urging him to move faster and harder. It was heated and intense, you pulled at each other, working desperately toward your release. It wasn’t long before his movements began to stutter, and he was muttering your name as he came. You followed, body trembling, moaning out loud at you reached your high.

He rolled off of you; the two of you lying there, breathing hard. Neither of you spoke, you just held each other as your breathing began to steady. You realized that you must have been very vocal, because your throat ached. You gave him a quick kiss before moving away from him, body shaking as you slowly began to dress. He propped up on an elbow, watching you.

“Leaving that quick?” he asked, looking somewhat worried.

“I’m not leaving,” you replied, voice hoarse, “I need water.”

He smiled, leaning back onto the pillows as you made your way to the kitchen. You helped yourself to a bottled water from the fridge, standing in the dark. Your legs were still shaky, and you couldn’t help but grin at how good you felt right now. Things were going to be okay. They just had to be.

You returned to the room, tossing the water bottle in Rob’s direction. He caught it and offered a thanks as he took a drink.

“Come here,” he said, holding out his arms to you. Before you could take a step toward him, there it was. The dizziness and queasiness in your stomach began. You felt it rise up in your throat and you darted to the bathroom.

You emptied your stomach, sitting back onto the bathroom floor, waiting until you were sure you were done being sick. You glanced up toward the door when you noticed Rob standing there, bottle of water in hand. He too had gotten dressed, and was now just waiting to make sure you were okay. He offered you the water, which you gladly accepted. He watched you, concern crossing his face.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” you replied, “I feel much better now.”

“Are you sick? Did you drink tonight?”

You chuckled at him, “I did not. I’ve just been… a little under the weather.”

He made a face as if he was sort of grossed out at the thought of you being sick.

“Don’t worry,” you said, “it’s not contagious.”

You stood up now that you were sure the nausea had passed. You made your way out of the bathroom, Rob right behind you.

“What is it? Are you going to be okay? I feel so bad now…”

“I’m fine,” you assured him, turning to look at him. Your eyes met his, and you stopped at the look of worry in them. He was genuinely concerned about what had made you so sick. You sighed heavily, realizing that this was it. It was now or never. You had to tell him.

“I- I have something that I need to tell you,” you began. You felt your heart begin to race. The nausea began again, but this time, it was from how nervous you suddenly felt. You didn’t know how he was going to take it. Rob tilted his head to the side, questioning you.

“Tell me what?” he asked.

“I… I …” you struggled to find the words, only now understanding how difficult this was, “I don’t know how to tell you this. I should have told you a long time ago.”

Rob now looked scared. You felt bad for freaking him out, but you knew that you were about to freak him out even more.

“I’m pregnant,” you blurted out. You felt sort of relieved to finally have the words out, for him to finally know. But you still felt nervous knowing that he hadn’t had a chance to react yet.

He looked at you with wide eyes. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but he only stood there, mouth agape for what felt like ages.

“Say something,” you begged him, feeling more anxious now.

He moved his eyes away from you for a moment as if he were still trying to let the news sink in. Finally, he met your gaze again. He reacted in a way that you expected, but had hoped you were wrong about.

“How long have you known about this?” he asked.

You felt the guilt consume you now. You looked away from him quickly, unable to even look him the eyes.

“A few weeks,” you whispered.

Rob closed his eyes, running his hands through his hair, as he let out a frustrated sigh.

“A few weeks?” he asked, voice cracking. You could see the tears welling up in his eyes. “You knew about this… for _weeks_ … and you just, what, decided not to tell me?” he was raising his voice now, some of the words faltering. You could sense the intense emotions that he was feeling now. You could tell that he was angry.

“I know you’re angry with me…” you started, but Rob cut you off, growing even more upset.

“I’m not angry!” he stated sharply. This new tone he was taking with you now began to make you anxious. He had never yelled at you before. You knew that you deserved it, you knew that keeping this from him for so long was a horrible thing to do, but the situation was making you uncomfortable.

“I’m just… incredibly upset that you would keep something like this from me.” his voice quieted. “If I hadn’t shown up at your show, if we didn’t end up here, were you going to go on without telling me?”

“No!, I was going to! I just didn’t know how. We were broken up, and I found out and I didn’t know what to do!” you heard yourself shout at him, tears now streaming down your face.

“You just tell me!” now he was shouting and the increase in the volume of his voice made you jump, “we were broken up because that was your choice, not mine. That doesn’t give you the right to keep this from me!”

You began to cry, shaking your head, knowing that you had messed up.

“That’s what you do in relationships, Y/N! You tell each other everything and we figure it out together.”

“I was afraid of how you’d react,” you sputtered in between sobs, “I’m afraid of how you’re reacting now!”

“I can promise you that if you had told me about this the second you found out, I would not be reacting this way,” his face was red with anger now, his own tears falling down his cheeks. You felt a pang in your chest at how much you had hurt him, at how much you were still hurting him.

“Please don’t be angry about this. We both did this.”

“I’m not angry about this,” he said, pointing to your stomach, “I’m pissed because you know how I feel about secrets, but you kept a huge one from me… for _weeks_!”

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t know what to do.”

He ran his hands through his hair again, hanging his head, allowing himself to cry over all of this.

“I’m just terrible at everything,” you said, “I should have just walked away from you tonight, you don’t deserve this.”

“Stop it!” he said suddenly, dropping his hands as he began to move toward you.

The next few moments were a blur, a series of motions that shouldn’t have happened. You were both incredibly upset, emotions were high, and the air in the room had grown tense. _This was just an argument_ , you told yourself. Normal couples go through this all the time.

Rob took a step closer to you, innocent enough. But you, having gone through countless arguments in the past that never ended well for you, immediately activated your fight or flight response without even realizing it. In your mind, you knew that this was nothing. You knew there was nothing to be afraid of, Rob was not that guy. But your body reacted nonetheless. The intensity of the moment and his sudden movement toward you had you moving back until you stopped against the wall behind you. You told yourself to relax, to let him hold you like you were certain he was going to.

Still, he moved closer and you felt your heart race. When he was within arm’s reach of you, you reacted. You hadn’t meant to, but you closed your eyes and flinched. You subconsciously braced yourself for something that you knew deep down wasn’t coming. Not from him. But, the reaction happened regardless of how much you knew that he wasn’t going to hurt you.

Your movement stopped him dead in his tracks. When you realized what you were doing, you stopped and turned your head back to look at him, trying to compose yourself. The look of devastation on his face was too much. _Why had you done that?_ You asked yourself. You took a moment to try to process what had just happened, why it had happened. From the look on Rob’s face, he was doing the same.

His mouth fell open slightly, “I wasn’t going to…” he choked out, obviously upset.

“I know,” you said quickly. And you did know. He would never hurt you, and you honestly didn’t know why you reacted that way.

“Please don’t do that…” he said, more tears welling up in his eyes, “not with me.”

“I know,” you replied, crying again, “I’m so sorry. I-I don’t know why…”

“I would never hurt you,” he promised. He remained in one place, unsure of what to do right now.

“I know you wouldn’t. I just… you’ve never yelled at me before. I’ve never seen you so upset. And I know it’s my own fault, what I did was horrible, but I just…”

“Reacted in the only way that you knew how…” He cut you off, running a hand across his face in defeat.

“I’m so sorry,” you said again, hoping that you could assure him that you knew you were safe with him.

“No,” he said in a low voice, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you, I shouldn’t have scared you.”

“Sometimes I deserve to be yelled at,” you replied, knowing that you had started all of this in the first place. All he had asked of you was honesty, and you were constantly failing at giving him that.

“Look, we’re both really upset. Maybe we just need to take some time to cool off… I need to cool off.”

You moved quickly, gathering your clothes from the chair and finding your keys, taking his words as your cue to leave. He didn’t want you there, you had fucked up majorly and you felt your chest tighten knowing that this was it. Before you could leave the room, Rob grabbed your hand gently, pulling your keys away.

“No. it’s late and you’re too upset to drive.” He tossed the keys back on the dresser before heading toward the bedroom door.

“What do you want me to do?” you asked. You stood there uncomfortably as he turned to face you.

“You just take my bed, I’ll sleep in the other room,” he turned his back to you, exhaling another long sigh, “I just need some time.”

You sat down on the edge of the bed as he walked out.

* * *

You laid in there in the dark, crying silently as you replayed the night in your mind. You had him back for a moment. Despite having hurt him, leaving him for months; he still fought for you. He showed up even though you had spent all that time ignoring him. He still loved you. Or so you thought. Right now, you were sure that you had damaged this beyond repair. You had hurt him again, right after he had forgiven you for running out on him.

You knew that keeping something like this from him for so long had been a terrible idea. You just didn’t realize exactly how much it would hurt him. Then, there was that stupid argument. Yes, the argument had been expected. It had been your reaction to it that you found yourself kicking yourself over. You knew that he had been more devastated by your reaction to him rather than the news itself. You had really thought that you had gotten past all of that, the fear and needing to do what was necessary to protect yourself. But, seeing him so upset and the sound of his voice raising at you was something you hadn’t expected.

Now, you wondered if he could forgive you for keeping your pregnancy from him for so long. You weren’t sure if he could continue to forgive you though. You buried our face into a pillow, muffling the sound of your crying, just as you had been doing for months. You let yourself cry until sleep found you.

* * *

You felt that you had only been asleep for minutes when you woke up to the feeling of someone watching you. You sat up and glanced at the door, noticing a figure standing there in the dark.

“Rob?” you asked, voice cracked with sleep. You already knew it was him. He didn’t speak. Instead, he moved toward the bed, pulling the sheets down, crawling in next to you.

You stiffened, not sure how to react just yet. It wasn’t until he nudged you, prompting you to turn toward him, that you relaxed. He pulled you into him, running a hand along your stomach before resting it on your hip. You could feel his breath against your mouth and he moved closer until his beard brushed against your face. He hesitated slightly before pressing his lips to yours. You let out a deep breath, something that felt like relief came over you. You kissed him back, wanting to ask him if the two of you were okay. You thought better of it as he pulled away, resting his head against yours.

You remained there, holding each other, not saying a word. It made you anxious as to what it meant. Was he still angry? Was he regretting everything? Was he only trying to console you? You decided not to ask. You just let yourself enjoy the moment of being with him again. You knew the two of you would figure this out in the morning.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Realizing that Rob really can’t forgive her, the Reader offers him an ultimatum before walking out again. She tries to come to terms with what she thinks is his choice, but there are bigger problems when complications arise that have her fearing the worst.

You hadn’t really expected the following morning with Rob to feel so awkward. Especially after he had returned to you in the middle of the night, kissing you and making you feel as if all was forgiven. You expected to wake up, still wrapped in his arms, with him just happy to have you there. But, you woke up to an empty bed that morning. Sitting up to see if you could hear him in the kitchen, you stopped when you saw him sitting in the chair near the end of the bed. He was watching you again, not saying a word. You tried to meet his gaze, a little confused as to what he was doing. He only stared toward you, sort of lost; as if he were thinking and not realizing that you were awake.

“Rob?” you asked carefully. Your voice seemed to break him from his thoughts and he met your eyes, still looking pained from the events of the night before. He stood up and moved toward you, leaning down to kiss the top of your head. It might have been a nice gesture if he hadn’t given you another frustrated sigh before leaving the room again. He never said a word, but you felt that maybe he was trying to show you that he still cared.

Honestly, you were beginning to feel mixed emotions coming from him. Especially when you followed him out of the room to the kitchen where he gradually began to fix breakfast. You smiled, remembering the first night you had spent here with him when you came back from Nashville. He had made you breakfast the morning after and you could recall how happy he had been that morning. But this time was different. You sat at the table as he moved in the kitchen, you could already smell the coffee that he must have made while you slept. He approached the table, setting down a cup of coffee in front of you, made just the way you liked it; almost as if he were giving you a peace offering. You politely declined the coffee however, to which he snatched it off the table and walked to the sink, pouring it down the drain with an annoyed look.

“What? You’ve quit drinking coffee now?” he asked with a bitter tone. He returned to his cooking without looking at you. The smell of the bacon that he had started, causing your stomach to churn.

“I just read that caffeine isn’t really a good thing during pregnancy,” you explained.

A sudden look of realization came across his face, almost as if he had completely forgotten the situation.

The air still felt tense. It was almost as if he had forgotten how to act around you, and truthfully, you knew you had forgotten how to act with him. He kept quiet still as he opened the fridge, moving things around until he found what he was looking for. He returned to you, placing a glass of orange juice in front of you.

“You can have this, right?” he asked as he walked away.

You mumbled a small “thank you” at his gesture as your stomach turned even more when the smell of the bacon became stronger.

“I don’t think I want any bacon…” you said softly. You listened to the crackling of the bacon in the pan, watching Rob as he ignored you for what seemed like forever. Your stomach churned again and you tried to force the sickness from your mind.

“I didn’t ask,” he said coldly, eyes focused on what he was doing. Ok, you deserved that. He was still upset, that much was obvious. Instead of turning it into an argument, you opted for just letting it go; forcing your body to hold back as the smell grew stronger.

He continued to cook and you just watched him. He still never once looked up at you. This was all so different from what it had been like the last time you were here. It made you sad to realize that so much could change over a couple of drastic choices and two months away. After a while, you couldn’t handle it anymore.

“Can you please stop with the bacon?!” you shouted. The smell had finally become too much for you and you were genuinely holding back the need to vomit. Rob looked at you now, confused as you made your way to the patio door, opening it to air the room out.

“It’s making me sick…” you explained as you attempted to breathe in fresh air from outside.

He eyed you in an almost challenging way, “Oh, you mean this bacon?” he asked before placing another slice down onto the pan. He returned his attention to the food, leaving you open mouthed in shock at how cold he seemed toward you.

You felt your face turn hot, pissed off at how unsympathetic he was being. But you bit your tongue. The only thought that had been running through your head that morning was how badly you had messed things up and how he had every right to still be angry with you. You understood that, by pointing out was an ass he was being right now, it left you open to even worse names based on what you had done. You tried to take a deep breath again to calm yourself, but you could only smell that damn bacon. You watched him again as he continued to cook, that stupid smirk still plastered on his face that showed you that he really didn’t care that you were sick. You were determined to meet him at his challenge, forcing back another wave of nausea. In the end, you folded by racing to the bathroom; unable to hold it back any longer.

There you were again, sitting on the bathroom floor, feeling miserable. The nausea had been nonstop for weeks and no matter what you tried, it never subsided. You wondered if it would ever stop. Still too weak to stand, you waited in hopes that Rob might at least come check on you. Maybe he cared enough to see if you were okay, maybe he cared enough to realize what a dick he was being right now. You leaned your head back against the wall, watching the bathroom door. You loved Rob, you knew that without a doubt. And he loved you, or, he did at one point. Right now, you weren’t really sure. You wanted him to just come in to check on you, the way that he would have before all of this mess had happened. He didn’t though.

You decided that this was not a situation that you were willing to remain in, especially given the circumstances. Any other time, you probably would have stuck it out; allowing him to treat you like crap and ignore you. God knows, you deserved it. But, for the first time since you had found out that you were expecting, you thought about your baby.

It was a foreign concept really. You knew you were pregnant, you certainly felt it, but you hadn’t really stopped to comprehend just how real this was. You thought back to your own childhood; having been raised by your father after your mother left when you were young. It had been a difficult childhood and theirs had been a difficult relationship. It wasn’t until you got older that you realized that they had stayed married for as long as they had been because of the fact that they had a child together. Your mother went through it, resenting your father for years for something that you never knew details about. It only ended when she had had enough and walked out on the both of you. That wouldn’t be you. That couldn’t be the life that your own child would have to experience.

You had come to terms with your own behavior in all of this. You knew what you had done and you were internally paying for it ever time you looked at Rob, every time that you remembered that you were in this situation. You thought about it all the time until it had become something that was constantly eating at you every day. Rob didn’t have to forgive you, you understood that. But he had to make a choice.

After some time of just sitting there, you finally felt okay to get up. You re-entered the bedroom, quickly finding your clothes from the night before and getting dressed. You grabbed your keys from the dresser and exited the room, making your way back to the kitchen.

He was sat at the table now, enjoying his breakfast, not looking up when you entered the room. Your attention went to the spot where you had been sitting. There it was, he had left you a plate as well; eggs, potatoes, toast, and a large pile of bacon. You scoffed at him as he finally looked up at you. You knew that he was trying to make you mad.

“Where are you going?” he asked, noticing the keys in your hand. You had to force yourself not to snap at him. Your emotions were already high; a combination of having been treated like crap this morning and just pregnancy hormones in general. You only reminded yourself that he was still hurt and finding any way to lash out at you that he could.

“I’m going home,” you replied as you turned to leave.

“What’s wrong?” he questioned you, pretending that he didn’t quite understand why you were upset. The idea of him pretending to be clueless to your feelings had finally gotten to you and you couldn’t help but speak out.

“You know?” you began, turning back to face him, “I get that you’re pissed off, you have every right to be. But, you can’t ask me to stay here like you did last night and kiss me and hold me, making me feel like everything was okay. You can’t make me feel like you still care… only to turn around and treat me like crap the next day. I’ve been in that relationship before, I know that this won’t work,” you said, referring to your relationship with Chris.

“Don’t compare me to him,” Rob spat out, knowing what you were getting at.

“I’m going home,” you continued, ignoring his interjection, “I’m going home until you can decide if you can forgive me and stop trying to punish me for this, or if forgiveness is too far beyond your capacity. In which case, we need to end this. For good.”

Rob looked away from you, unable to meet your stare anymore. He swallowed hard, fidgeting with the fork in his hand.

“We are having a baby together,” you reminded him, the words feeling strange as you said them out loud for the first time. “Whether we want this or not, it’s just what it is. This isn’t just on me, we both did this.”

“I’m not mad about that…” he mumbled.

You cut him off, “I know what I’ve done. I know it was wrong, and I’ve apologized until I’m blue in the face. I can’t do anything else, I can’t take it back, and I can’t fix this! I know I kept it from you and I shouldn’t have, fuck, I’m reminded of how horrible I was every day! But, we can’t go through this in this way. We can’t do this if all you are capable of is resenting me. It’s not fair to either of us, it’s not fair to our baby.” You felt yourself crying again, mostly out of frustration, hoping that he was hearing you and understanding. “You are not obligated to be with me because of this. But you also can’t be in my life unless you want to be. You can’t expect me to stay knowing that you’re just going to spend the rest of your life hating me.”

Rob continued to stare down at his plate, not showing any reaction. You let out a frustrated sigh as you turned from him.

“I’m going home where I won’t have to walk on eggshells to keep from upsetting you more. And you need to decide if you can forgive me or if it’s just too much. Because if asking for forgiveness is too much, then you need to just walk away.”

* * *

You left his house, not looking back. You were still irritated at how insensitive he had been with you. You felt conflicted, knowing that you had done some things wrong in this relationship, but, you were carrying his child and he couldn’t even be decent enough to take how you were feeling into consideration.

You sat in your car for a moment, watching his house. Maybe you were waiting for him to chase after you, admit that he had been an ass and that he needed you. Again, he didn’t show. You pulled out of the driveway, unsure if any of this was fixable.

* * *

Three days later, you still hadn’t heard from Rob. No phone calls, no texts, nothing to indicate that he was interested in forgiving you.

But, right now, that was the least of your worries. The excessive morning sickness that you had been experiencing was only getting worse. Within the past few days, you began to notice that you had developed multiple food aversions. Nothing sounded good and the thought of food alone was enough to make you queasy. You had forced yourself to eat on multiple occasions, knowing that you absolutely had to eat. However, you couldn’t hold anything down. Much of the time, you were sick until you were dry-heaving. Even drinking water had you rushing to the bathroom, not because of your normal pregnancy bladder… in fact, that need had all but disappeared since you couldn’t even hold fluids down.

Today was the worst of it. You had been in bed all day, head pounding as you sobbed over how miserable you felt. You were exhausted but couldn’t sleep. While you had been ignoring it for some time, you began to feel like this wasn’t normal. A small part of you felt afraid. Surely, throwing up this often couldn’t be a good thing. When your headache, body aches, and general overall terrible feelings became too much, you realized that you needed help.

You scrolled through your phone, knowing that you didn’t have family or any real friends to turn to. You moved through the contacts, only stopping on Rob’s name briefly until you remembered that he was obviously not interested in what was going on with you. You finally felt what he must have felt during those two months… being in love with someone who ignored you.

You thought about Rob’s friends, the ones who had been accepting enough to befriend you. Kim was out of the question. You had put her through enough as well.

You finally settled on Rich. At least you knew he lived in the area and he had been the first one you had met. He had taken an extreme liking to you right away. Of course, he probably hated you right now. After all, Rob was his best friend. You had to wonder how much he knew. But, the fact that you still occasionally received random phone calls from him, which you ignored, had you curious as to whether he was calling to check up on you. Not really expecting much from it, you pressed his name and waited as the phone rang.

“Y/N?!” he asked, sounding a bit shocked that you were calling. You smiled at the sound of his voice.

“Hey, Rich…” you began.

“Are you crying?” you had to chuckle at what sounded almost like concern coming from him.

“Yeah,” you said, “I’m sorry to call you like this… I know you probably hate me too… after everything that happened…”

“What the hell did happen, Y/N?” his voice rose slightly, “I’ve been calling you for months. When Rob said you left…”

You cut him off, “I know, I was horrible.”

“I was trying to check in on you. He said something happened that night, something that freaked you out, and you just disappeared.”

“I saw him a few days ago,” you explained, hoping to ease his mind.

“Really? What happened?”

“Nothing good,” you choked out, the pounding in your head growing worse. “Look, I can explain everything later… but I just really need your help right now.” You began to sob over the phone at how bad you were feeling.

“Hey sweetie, what’s wrong?” Rich now sounded a little freaked out.

“I need a ride to the hospital.”

“Is everything okay?” you could hear the panic in his voice.

“I don’t know. It’s a long story. Please…” you begged, crying harder.

“Tell me how to get to you,” you felt yourself calm down a bit at his willingness to come to your aid.

* * *

You directed Rich to the hospital nearby as you curled up in the passenger seat, crying. You had never felt this bad. The nausea still threatened you although you had nothing left to throw up. Your body continued to ache and your head hurt so bad you were sure you would pass out.

“Wanna tell me what’s going on?” Rich asked as he drove, his eyes glancing over at you occasionally.

“Not really. I feel like shit right now.” You replied, resting your head in your hands.

“Are you going to be okay?”

“I don’t know,” the words came out almost slurred as you tried to focus in between the throbbing in your head and the nausea that was still present. “long story short, I’m pregnant, and I don’t think this is normal morning sickness.”

Rich’s eyes grew wide, “Pregnant?! Does Rob…”

“He knows. In fact, he’s not talking to me because I waited so long to tell him.”

“What? He was trying to find you, to get you back. Why would he just stop talking to you?”

“He’s pissed. He has every right to be,” you swallowed hard, fighting back the urge to vomit again. It was pointless really, there was nothing left to throw up. “I fucked up, Rich. Bad.”

The rest of the drive was quiet, aside from your pained sobs. By the time you reached the hospital, you were too weak to even walk. Rich rushed into the ER and returned with a wheelchair, helping you sit so that he could get you in to the waiting room.

The whole experience was a blur. You ended up in a room, a nurse poking at you and asking questions. You tried your best to answer them, not sure if you were making any sense by that point. You made sure to mention that you were pregnant, and your biggest concern was the baby at that point. You’d glance over at Rich, who had stayed with you, just to be sure he wasn’t going to leave you alone. This wasn’t his problem, you knew that, but you felt better knowing he was there. When the doctor finally saw you, you were feeling even worse.

“Are you her husband?” the doctor asked, looking at Rich.

“Me? No, no, I’m just a friend.”

“I’m not married,” you slurred, trying to make Rich feel a little more comfortable, “the father isn’t involved.”

The doctor began talking, but you couldn’t really focus on what he was saying right now. At one point, you noticed that Rich had left the room, and you couldn’t help but panic a bit at the thought of being alone right now.

“Where is my friend?” you sputtered, crying due to the pain you were feeling.

“He’s still here, he just stepped out for a moment.”

You leaned back and began to sob again. You were sure you were dying. This was definitely not normal.

The doctor continued, but you still couldn’t focus. You only heard bits and pieces of what he was trying to tell you. You heard him tell you that you were very dehydrated, your blood pressure was too low, and your heart rate was a concern. You didn’t understand what any of that meant, or why it was such a concern. You just felt terrible and wanted it to stop.

When Rich returned to the room, he was followed by a nurse.

“We need to get you on an IV for now, you’re very dehydrated. This is dangerous for you and your baby.” Your heart dropped at the words.

“What did I do? What did I do wrong?”

“You did nothing wrong,” the doctor assured you, “we’re going to run more tests, but I’m sure you’re experiencing severe morning sickness. It’s certainly no fun, and it can be very dangerous. We’ll get you through this.”

You tried to relax as the nurse set you up with an IV. Between that and the various machines monitoring your blood pressure and heart rate, you were very uncomfortable. The sickness and the pain were still very much there and you weren’t sure that you could relax.

You remained there for some time, just allowing the doctor and nurses to do what needed to be done. After a while on the IV, you began to notice a slight change in how you felt. The headache was easing up, the pain in your body began to dissipate, and the nausea didn’t feel as prominent. You began to feel yourself breathe a little better, closing your eyes for a while to rest.

“Y/N?” you heard Rich whisper from the other side of the room where he was sitting. “I’m going to step out, there’s someone here who needs to see you.”

You grimaced as you felt a sharp pain in your head, “W-what?” It was all you could spit out before he was out the door. Just after he left the room, the door opened again. You strained your eyes to see who it was. Your breath caught as Rob peeked his head into the room. _“Rich…”_ you thought to yourself. Of course, he had called Rob. You leaned back, willing away the throbbing that had started in your head again. This was the last thing you needed right now.

Rob entered the room, moving toward you as quietly as he could. He stood next to you and you glared up at him.

“What are you doing here?” you asked shakily.

“Rich called me,” he started, “he said you were really sick and you were at the hospital. I got here as soon as I could…”

“Why?”

“Because I was worried. I’m still worried. Are you okay?” you heard his voice crack. You focused on him, seeing those blue eyes wet with tears.

“I’m fine. Nothing for you to worry about.”

He examined you, looking at the machines and IV that you were hooked up to, “you don’t look fine. You do that a lot… say everything is fine, when it’s really not.”

“Well, I’ll be fine.”

“I have to admit, I’m a little hurt that you called Rich with this and not me.”

“Fantastic! There’s another mistake that you can add to my list… you know, in case you want to punish me for that one too.” You replied. You really didn’t want to deal with him right now. You had to admit, seeing his face had made your heart skip a beat, you loved the man and thoroughly enjoyed looking at him, but you couldn’t handle another guilt trip right now.

“That’s not what I was doing…” he said in a low voice, averting his eyes to the floor.

“What do you want?” you asked, now feeling annoyed.

“What do you mean? You’re in the freaking hospital. I’m here because I’m worried. I’m here because this is my fault and I’m scared.”

“It’s not your fault…” you tried to assure him.

“If I hadn’t been such a dick you wouldn’t have left, you would have been with me and I would have been the one to bring you here the second I knew you were that sick. It’s my fault it got this bad. It was the fucking bacon!”

You looked at him, genuinely confused, “what are you talking about?”

“The bacon,” he replied, exasperated, “if I hadn’t been such a jerk over the bacon that morning, this wouldn’t be happening.”

“Bacon?” you looked at him questioningly, “what bacon?”

“The other morning, I made the bacon and I knew it was making you sick. I did it anyway just to get to you… and now you’re here… really sick, and it’s my fault.”

“Oh,” you said as you recalled that morning, “no, Rob, it’s not your fault. Sure, you were being a dick, but that didn’t cause this. I’ve been miserable with this pregnancy since I first realized I was pregnant. It’s just gradually gotten worse. It’s no one’s fault.”

Rob sat in the chair at your bedside with a huff, putting his face into his hands. He looked pretty stressed out and you couldn’t help but feel bad for him.

“I know you’re here because you’re worried about the baby…”

“Stop, why do you always have to do that?” he looked at you. “I’m worried about the baby, yes. But I’m worried about you too. I know I haven’t been acting like it, but I love you. I was just so hurt that I couldn’t think straight.”

You smiled at his words. He did still love you. Despite everything you had put him through, he still loved you. He cared enough to be here, even after your fight.

Before you could say more, the doctor returned to check in on you. You had been on the IV for a couple of hours by now, and were genuinely amazed at how much better you felt. The doctor stood by your side, as he explained your condition to you. Hyperemesis Gravidarum, or in simple terms, just really bad morning sickness. Scribbling on his clipboard, he talked more, telling you what should be done to prevent further visits to the ER.

“You need to be on bed rest for a while, at least until you follow up with your regular doctor and they determine otherwise… I’m writing you a prescription, it will help with the nausea so that you can actually eat… try to eat smaller meals more often throughout the day, eat bland foods, I’ll give you a list…”

“Bland food?” you asked, grimacing at the sound of it.

“Just soft foods, low in fiber, avoid anything spicy… the simpler the better.”

“Hmm, I guess that means no bacon,” you joked, glancing at Rob with a smile. He only stared down at the floor, looking guilty. You frowned that your joke didn’t go over as well as you had hoped.

The doctor looked at Rob when he noticed him in the chair next to you.

“This isn’t the friend you came in with,” he stated.

“No, this is the father…”

The doctor raised a brow before he continued, “I also have to emphasize the importance of avoiding stressful situations.” You knew he was referring to the fact that you had told him that the father of your baby was not involved in any of this, yet here he was sitting next to your bedside.

“I’m not a stressful situation,” Rob stated, now eyeing the doctor.

“It’s okay,” you said, trying to ease the doctors mind, “he’s fine, really.”

“Okay,” the doctor looked back at you, handing you some papers from his clipboard, “here’s your prescription and some information. You should be okay to go home tonight; the nurse will get you checked out so just sit tight for a while longer.” He headed to the door but stopped and turned back to you, “and, Y/N, the moment that you feel that terrible again, you come right back here. Don’t let it go for as long as you did this time.”

You nodded, letting him know that you understood and he left the room.

Rob remained silent now, eyes still staring at the floor. You watched him as he sat there, realizing that the man really was blaming himself. He had guilt written all over his face and he just looked genuinely stressed out. His bright blue eyes appeared darker right now, you noticed dark circles around his eyes, and he just didn’t seem to be himself.

“Are you okay?” you asked, attempting to take the focus off of yourself.

Rob ran a hand through his hair, “Y/N… I’m fine. Really, why are you checking in on me when you’re the one in a hospital bed?”

“You look tired.”

“Yeah, well, that’s probably because I haven’t slept very well in three days. I’ve been beating myself up over how I treated you. It was a shitty thing for me to do.”

“Why didn’t you call then?”

“I don’t know. Maybe the same reason you didn’t call me for two months.” That one sort of stung. He was still guilt tripping you, but this wasn’t the time or place for it. You felt yourself getting angry with him again.

“Rob, I don’t need this right now…”

“I just meant, I didn’t call because I felt that… at the time… you were just better off without me. I was being petty and I knew that wasn’t good for you, you don’t deserve that.”

“Are we?” you asked after a while. You had been asking yourself this for a few days. The idea of it made you sick again, knowing how deeply you cared for him, and knowing deep down that he still cared for you. But the past few months seemed to be made up of moments of the two of you just hurting each other.

“What?” he asked, eyes finding yours.

“Are we just better off without each other?”

His face fell, your words sinking in.

“Sometimes I wonder if we were just stupid for rushing into this.” You continued, “It felt right at the time… but I’m so damaged, and all of my issues just got in the way. And then, we find each other again, and I still continue to hurt you, and you turn around and hurt me… and I don’t know that I can keep doing that.”

“We don’t have to keep doing that.” he took your hand in his as he brought it to his lips, kissing your knuckles, “you told me that I had to choose, and you were right. I can’t keep holding that against you. I don’t want to anymore. I forgive you for not telling me sooner. I forgive you for walking out on me the way you did.”

“You forgive me because I’m lying in a hospital bed…”

“No, I forgive you because I don’t know what that was like for you. I don’t understand any of what has happened in the last few months. I didn’t take into consideration what you went through, how scared you must have been… I was selfish and I was thinking of myself and my own feelings.”

“Leaving you was the hardest thing I’ve ever done…” you whispered, trying to hold back your tears, “it was so difficult that… when I found out I was pregnant, I was sure that you hated me so much that you wouldn’t care.”

“Of course I care…” he began.

“I know, I just… I got scared. I was too afraid to call you after what I had done. I wasn’t afraid of you knowing… I was afraid to hear your voice again, because I knew that it would ruin me. I hated myself for leaving. Because I love you so much, and I hurt you. I just thought I was doing the right thing… for you.”

Rob brought your hand back to his lips, lowering his head as he did so. You didn’t say anything else, neither did he. You waited in silence until the nurse entered the room, giving you paperwork to sign, and releasing you.

Although you were still feeling weak and slightly achy, you were determined to leave the ER without the help of a wheelchair, even though Rob insisted. But, you stood your ground and he helped you walk out to his car.

“Wait, what about Rich?” you suddenly realized that the man who brought you here may have been left behind.

“I sent him home a while ago. It’s late and he’s got his wife and kids at home…”

You gave Rob a soft smile as he helped you into the passenger seat of his car. When he was sure that you were safe and comfortable, he got in, sitting there for a moment.

“Rich really helped me out today. I owe him. I didn’t have anyone else to call…” you said. Rob gave you a look, pursing his lips. “I mean, I figured he was the only one who might not hold anything against me.”

“Rich likes you, he spent a lot of time encouraging me to find you… to fix things.”

“He’s a good guy,” you smiled.

“Yeah, a pain in my ass sometimes… but he’s a really good guy.”

“Thank you for coming, to see if I was okay.” You knew it was a small gesture, but you figured that the two of you had spent so much time being upset with each other and fighting, it might mean something to say it out loud. Rob turned toward you, giving you a smile that made those eyes light up. You maybe felt yourself falling in love with him all over again.

“Of course,” he replied. He reached over to you awkwardly before placing his hand on your belly, letting it rest there for a while, “I’m always going to be here for you… for both of you.” You were sure your heart was going to burst in that moment. Now, this was all beginning to feel very real. This was how it was supposed to be. You had the love of your life back, and he was able to accept the things that had happened between you and move on.

After some time of him just touching you and staring at your belly with a look that you were sure was that of complete amazement, Rob slowly pulled his hand away and focused on starting the car. You were certain that this was all becoming very real for him too. Neither of you had taken just a moment to appreciate that, although you had only known each other for a short time, you had fallen in love and were going to be parents. It hadn’t been planned, hell, it hadn’t even crossed your thoughts that this could ever happen. But these small moments were proof that you really did love each other, and you already loved this baby.

“Where to, Y/N?” he asked.

“I think I just need to go home,” you leaned back in your seat, glancing over to him.

“Oh, okay,” for some reason he looked almost hurt, “you- you gotta tell me the address, I don’t even know where you live.”

You chuckled at how he suddenly became uncomfortable, almost as if you had given him an answer that he didn’t want to hear. You reached a hand up to run your fingers along the nape of his neck until he turned to look at you again. You ran your hand along his jawline before leading his face to yours. He leaned toward you, meeting you halfway. This might have not been the most romantic setting for the two of you to start over, to begin again, but it felt like the right moment. Before you could make your move, he leaned in further and kissed you. It was gentle, and you felt your heart flutter again just as it had done the first time he kissed you in Nashville. When you pulled back, and he made sure to press his forehead to yours as he always did, you just knew that things would be okay. That’s when you decided with absolute certainty where you wanted to be, and that you needed to be there with him.

“No, Rob. I want to go home.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rob and Reader return home. They finally have time to catch up on what happened in each other’s lives while they were apart. They begin to come to terms with the idea of being parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Rob sings “Fair” as a song that he wrote when the reader broke his heart. Nice job reader, I hope you’re happy.

You drifted in and out of sleep that night. Feeling much better than you had before visiting the ER, but still weak and unable to rest completely. The nausea hadn’t returned yet and honestly, your biggest fear was that it would return eventually. You were told that this condition could go on for some time, and future visits to the hospital were a possibility. Perhaps this underlying fear of having to feel that way again is what was bringing you out of your sleep throughout the night. The only thing that made your restlessness bearable was realizing that every time you stirred, Rob was right there with you. He too would wake each time you did; placing gentle kisses to your forehead and mumbling soothing words to you until you relaxed again. Even as the sun began to peek through the blinds in the early morning hours; he was still there, tracing circles along your back, until you were eventually able to rest again.

The next time you woke up, it was because a slight twinge of nausea had returned. You whimpered, realizing that it wasn’t over yet. This time, when you looked to Rob for support, he wasn’t there to console you. You felt your heart race when you realized he was not next to you, wondering what you had done this time to make him want to leave you. You reached for your phone to check the time and when you realized it was late in the afternoon, you felt the panic begin to fade. You knew he was here somewhere, he just didn’t sleep in as late as you had.

You forced yourself from bed; your legs shaky and body still weak. When you stood, you felt your stomach turn even more and you couldn’t help but whine a little at how sick you still felt. You trudged your way to the other room in search of him and found him sitting on the couch, phone to his ear, talking quietly to someone. You waited for a moment, not wanting to interrupt, but he glanced up at you almost immediately.

“Hey, I’m gonna call you back… I’m sorry to bail on everyone last minute, but I hope you understand.” He explained to the person on the other end of the call. He paused for a second, listening as his eyes still watched you.

“Ok, take care. I’ll see you all real soon.” He ended the call and quickly stood up to make his way to you. He wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you in, kissing you lightly on the lips.

“Hey, sweetie… are you okay?” he asked. His blue eyes looked you over as if he were searching for a sign that you weren’t well.

“I’m okay. I’m feeling a little sick again though.”

“Oh shit, yeah. You slept for a long time, I didn’t want to wake you,” he took your hand and pulled you toward the couch, encouraging you to sit. “The doctor said you need to eat multiple small meals throughout the day, it could help with the nausea. You haven’t eaten anything since we got back last night, I’ll make you something.”

“Oh,” was all you said as he disappeared into the kitchen.

He was gone for some time. You could hear him moving things around in the kitchen, and eventually you could smell the aroma of chicken soup which caused you to freeze for a moment. You hoped that the smell wouldn’t send you running for the bathroom like it did the last time. But, the scent didn’t leave you feeling worse this time; instead, you felt your stomach grumble at how hungry you were.

Rob finally returned to the living room, carefully carrying a tray with a bowl, crackers, and a mug. He placed the tray in front of you on the coffee table proudly, “Lunch is served.”

“Thank you,” you said with a smile, mouth watering as you looked at your meal. Your disappointment in the lunch Rob had made for you must have been obvious, because he explained to you quickly why it was not what you were expecting.

“The doctor said bland food… so I just went by the list. Broth and crackers are probably the best way to go considering you just left the hospital. Also, the tea is ginger, I guess it’s supposed to help with nausea.” You stared at him for a moment as he took a seat next to you. You really appreciated how attentive and caring he was being right now. It felt really nice to have him help you through this.

“You actually read the list?” you asked as you carefully took a sip of the broth. So far, so good. It wasn’t making you feel worse.

“Y-yeah. I’ve been reading a lot about pregnancy in general actually,” he explained, motioning to a stack of books on the coffee table. You shoved a cracker into your mouth and began to move the books around to see what he was reading.

“When did you get these?” you asked as you picked up one of the books, mindlessly flipping through the pages.

“The day after you walked out.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I figured… no matter what happened between us, I was still going to be a dad. I wanted to be prepared. I’ve never been a dad before.”

“Oh… yeah. Well, I’ve never been a mom before…” you suddenly realized how unprepared you were. Even Rob had been doing what he could to not only help you get through this morning sickness, but he was also taking the time to learn about what happens during pregnancy. You couldn’t help but admire the man. Even though the two of you had fought and his reaction to you waiting so long to tell him the news was not what you had expected, he had come to terms with the prospect of being a father very quickly.

“How far along are you anyway?” he asked, “everything kinda happened so quickly, we didn’t even have a chance to actually discuss this.” He moved his hand to your belly with those last few words. He let his hand rub circles along your stomach as his eyes met yours. You had to admit; each time he did this, it made your stomach flip a little. Just knowing that he was accepting the fact that the two of you were having a baby was sort of surprising, but this sweet little gesture that he kept partaking in really had you sort of excited about having a baby.

You worked at doing the math in your head, “I guess about 11 weeks now…”

“Wow, so you’re already near the end of the first trimester?”

“Uh, I guess so,” you smiled at him, “you’ve really been reading up about this, huh?”

“Yeah, like I said, I want to be prepared.”

“Well, I’m the one carrying this baby, and I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“Hey, we’ll figure it out together, okay?” He said reassuringly, running his hand along your leg.

“I know we will.” You felt relief by his statement. You had been so scared about this before, that you really hadn’t even tried to figure things out. During the weeks after learning that you were pregnant, you did all you could to take your mind off of it; losing yourself in songwriting and recording. For once, you sort of felt like the two of you would figure it out.

You continued to eat your meal, grateful for the tea which actually helped to ease your queasiness. Rob watched you, almost as if he were making sure that you would be okay after having your first meal in days. He looked relieved when you were able to finish your food without having to run to the bathroom afterwards.

“Hey, looks like the medication is helping,” he mused, leaning back against the couch and pulling you into him. You relaxed into his body, feeling content for the first time in months.  

“Who were you talking to on the phone?” you asked, genuinely curious as to who he had been talking to earlier since he mentioned bailing on them.

“Oh, it was Billy. I had to back out of the convention this weekend, so I was just making sure that things were squared away with the band and everyone else.”

“What happens when the lead singer bails on the band during convention weekend?” You asked, concerned that he was cancelling his appearance in the first place.

“They just kinda fill in for me throughout the con. The band still plays, but the guys can sing as well… they can handle it.”

“And the concert?”

“It’s a good thing the show has a cast made up of super talented people who can sing.”

“Why did you cancel?”

He cocked his head, looking at you as if you were crazy, “because of what’s going on with you.”

“Me? Why would you let me keep you away from work?”

“Y/N, you were just in the ER… you’re obviously still feeling pretty miserable. I’m not going to leave you knowing what you’re going through.”

“I’m fine. I feel pretty much okay.”

“Still… I’m not going anywhere right now. Besides, we’ve got a lot of catching up to do. That was a long two months.”

You nodded, “Yeah it was. A lot happened when I left.”

The two of you sat there, talking about what life had been like while you were away from each other. You told him about the restraining order and how you had to face Chris in the court room, and how in the end, it worked. You hadn’t had any type of run-in with him since the day you saw him at your house. You told him about how you had been breathing a lot easier since then, not having to worry about him for the time being.

You told him about working in the studio, writing and recording songs, and the show that you had done.

“But, you already knew about the show,” you stated, referring to the night when he showed up.

“Yeah, regardless of the situation and how hard it was to see you, it was a really great show. I’ve been amazed with your talent since I first heard you sing. I’m just glad you finally did it.”

“Well, I had someone who actually encouraged me. And, all of those songs were so personal, I understand now why you said you could never give your lyrics away to anyone else.”

“I wrote a lot as well…” Rob said, trailing off.

“Oh yeah?” you sat up to look at him, “I’d like to hear some new Swain stuff.”

Rob chuckled uncomfortably, “You probably don’t.”

“Ouch, I was that bad huh?” You weren’t really hurt by his statement. After all, you had broken the man’s heart. You knew that if someone was willing to break the heart of a musician, you’d better expect at least a few hurtful songs to come out of it.

“Well, it was tough, and I tend to vent my anger into my music. There’s one song in particular that you might not like.”

“I get it. I really do. Still, I’d like to hear it sometime.”

You continued to catch up, this time explaining what you had went through and what you had been feeling when you realized you were pregnant. Rob just listened. You had expected some interjections over the sensitive topic, thinking he might still be feeling a little hurt over how everything had happened. But he only listened, arm draped over your shoulders, holding you as you told him how scared you were to not only being pregnant, but also how scared you were to tell him.

“I was so afraid… I knew I hurt you, and I couldn’t imagine springing that on you to top it off. I just felt like I kept fucking things up… and I didn’t want to do that to you.”

He watched you as you explained everything to him, not interrupting, not getting angry again. It was nice to have an actual conversation with the man, finally being able to discuss everything that should have been brought up a long time ago.

“I have to ask,” he said finally, “you said you left because of your ex, you were afraid of having me in the middle of all that… but after you got the restraining order, why didn’t you call me?”

“Because it’s a piece of paper. It’s a piece of paper that supposedly protects me. There’s no guarantee that he would stay away from you, there’s not even a guarantee that he will continue to stay away from me.”

“Y/N, you’ve got to stop thinking about protecting me. Especially now. Just let me take care of you.”

He was right. The entire mess that was the last few months should not have happened. He had been willing to stay with you even when he learned about Chris and what he was doing. Rob had always been there for you. The problem was that you had never let anyone be there for you. You had learned early on in life how to take care of yourself. You had learned how to not depend on anyone. You knew now that you were in no position to get through this pregnancy alone, much less be a single parent. You realized how lucky you were right now. You had an amazing man who was still by your side and he was going to go through this with you.

“I just realized something,” he stated, running a hand through your hair.

“What?” You nuzzled into him, not wanting this moment to end. There was something so calming about just sitting here with him, finally talking instead of yelling at each other.

“You said you’re about 11 weeks along…”

“Yeah?”

“You got pregnant while we were in Nashville.”

You laughed at him, “well, we certainly had a good time in Nashville, and we weren’t exactly careful.”

“It’s just… sort of crazy isn’t it?” he asked, staring off at the ceiling. You glanced up at him again, a little worried that he might be feeling as overwhelmed by all of this as you were.

“It is. But, this is just where we are. Things happen.” You wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him in as close as you could.

“I’m just glad it happened with you,” he said, placing a kiss to your forehead. You smiled at his sentiment.

“Me too, it makes me feel less afraid.” In hindsight, a situation like this would send any other person into a panic. Having just met someone, break up with them a couple of weeks later, and then finding out you were carrying their child; it would be a lot for anyone to get through. It had of course been stressful. But you knew that you loved Rob and you knew that you could be happy with him. The idea of having a child with him so soon didn’t scare you anymore.

The only thing you worried about was how other people would react to knowing what had went on between the two of you. You thought of his friends who you had started to grow so comfortable around. You knew Rich was supportive of you, at least he didn’t freak out too badly when he heard the news. He had apparently worked hard at trying to help Rob find you to fix things. Not to mention, the ride to the hospital. You couldn’t help but wonder what everyone else would think. You honestly didn’t know how much they even knew. Had Rob told them about how horrible you had been to him? Did they know about you keeping your pregnancy secret for so long? Did they know about the pregnancy at all? It was a lot to think about. You knew that they would find out eventually, you just didn’t want the judgement about how fast you and Rob had moved into this and how stupid you had been to not be careful.

The two of you remained in silence for some time; still holding each other, until you broke the silence.

“Play me that song you were talking about.” You knew it was going to be painful, but you were genuinely curious.

“No, you’ll hear it some other time.”

“Come on, I really want to hear it. I get that it’s probably not going to be nice, but maybe I need to know what I put you through. I mean, you heard all my songs about me leaving you at my show…”

“That’s different,” he argued, “you weren’t writing from the perspective of having just been dumped for no apparent reason.”

“I know, but I still want to hear it.” You stood up and headed towards his collection of guitars where you chose an acoustic. You brought it back to him with a smile.

“Please don’t, I don’t want to hurt your feelings,” he said.

“You won’t. Maybe it’s better that I hear it now, while we’re still trying to fix things between us.” You sat across from him in the chair on the other side of the coffee table, being certain to see him as he played.

“Okay, fine,” he said, beginning to tune the guitar, “just don’t say I didn’t warn you.” When he was finally in tune, he took a deep breath and began to play the music. You could sense that he was uncomfortable with playing the song, but he went along with it. Perhaps he agreed that it was best for you to hear it now. When he began to sing, he averted his eyes from you, focusing on his hands on the guitar.

 _Goddamn this affair, It’s taking me there_  
_It’s taking away a life of you_  
 _The vows gone astray, Just for the day_  
 _Heart so betrayed once tried and true_  
 _And you, I can’t stand what you put me through_  
  
Already, the lyrics caused your heart to wrench. You had asked for it… to hear the song. You knew it was going to be difficult right away, but something told you that you needed to hear it. You and Rob shared one very important thing in common, and that was music. You knew that the only way most people would ever really know you, was by listening to your music. That’s where you put your heart and soul. Rob was the same way. He had talked about how he felt when you had left and what that was like for him, but you knew he would say so much more through his lyrics. At this point, you needed to understand fully what he had gone through.

He still didn’t look at you as he moved into his last refrain of the song. You could feel yourself tearing up, only now fully understanding what the breakup had been like for him… the breakup that he never wanted in the first place.

You watched him intently, as he finished his song. It wasn’t until he was done that he even looked up at you, blue eyes finding your own.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, “it’s just how I was feeling at the time.”

“Don’t be sorry,” you choked back tears that you felt coming on, “That’s a great song… I’m sorry, I didn’t know…” Instead of finishing your sentence, you got up from the chair and moved toward him. He placed the guitar aside as you reached him, and you leaned down as you took his face in your hands. “I love you so much, and I’m so sorry I did that to you.”

“I know,” he replied, moving his hands to your waist, “I really don’t blame you for anything anymore. At the time, I just didn’t understand.” You leaned in further, taking his lips with yours, making sure to show him that you were sorry. You kissed him steadily, as your fingers traced along his jawline. He kissed you back, sighing into your lips when he realized that you weren’t angry by the song, just understanding. You pulled away from the kiss, straightening yourself as Rob wrapped his arms around your waist again; this time, resting his head against your stomach. You ran your fingers through his hair as the two of you just stayed that way in silence for a moment.

“I don’t think either of us understood much,” you replied.

“Maybe we’ve still got a lot to learn.” Rob let go of your waist and looked up at you, a hopeful grin crossing his face.

You thought about his statement, and he was right. Despite each of you thinking that you were doing things in the best interest of the other, it had been a rough road for the two of you. Looking back, you knew that most of this mess could have been easily avoided had you just talked to each other. It was all, in large part, your own mistakes. You had never had a healthy relationship before. You honestly didn’t know how to behave. You had spent so much time learning to just survive, you never learned how to actually be partners with someone. Throughout everything that you and Rob had went through, you knew that you wanted to try with him. You wanted to learn how to be with someone who loved you as much as you loved them. You wanted to give this a shot. You were ready to learn how to be happy with him. And most importantly, you were ready to face parenthood with this man, despite how afraid you were.

“Well,” you began, “we’ve got just over six months to learn all we can about each other.  After that, we’ll have a baby who’s going to take up all our time.”

Rob chuckled at your words, “That’s so wild, I still can’t believe this is happening.”

“Are you scared?” The words fell from your lips. You had to ask, feeling like you needed to hear him say that he was as scared as you were.

“Sure, of course I am,” you felt a little better knowing that you weren’t alone. “But, I’m also really excited. Like, all of my friends have kids… and they’re so great. I’ve always wanted a family, it just didn’t happen in the past.”

“Speaking of your friends,” you cut in, still curious as to who knew about your situation, “do they know what’s going on.”

“I think most of them know that we are back together. Aside from Rich, no one knows about this yet,” he said, referring to the pregnancy.

“When do we tell them?” You wondered out loud.

“I don’t know, I figured… the next con, that way I could just tell them all at once.”

You took a deep breath as you realized how quickly this was all becoming so real. Soon, everyone would know, and you could only hope that they would be as accepting of this as they had been of the idea of you and Rob in the first place.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Rob spend some much needed time together. They experience their first baby appointment together, which leaves them slightly overwhelmed. Still trying to grasp the fact that they will be parents, they decide to tell Rob’s friends at a convention. Will everyone be as accepting of the situation as they hope they will be?

The following weeks went rather smoothly. You and Rob spent some much-needed time together, lazing about the house and just generally enjoying each other’s company. You were still battling the nausea that came and went, but your medication helped to keep you out of the hospital.

You had finally made an appointment with your doctor earlier in the week, one that you should have scheduled a long time ago; but the ER visit and illness had made it a little difficult to remember that it needed to be done. Today, your phone notified you that you had the appointment this afternoon, which you had already forgotten about.

“I’ve got an appointment this afternoon, I completely forgot,” you told Rob as the two of you laid in bed, watching bad television on Netflix. You tossed your phone back onto the bed after dismissing the alarm.

“What appointment?” he asked, nuzzling into your neck. You had to admit, being in bed rest hadn’t been all that bad. It only meant that you got to share moments like this with Rob more often.

“Just my monthly check-in. Gotta see how the little one is cooking, I think I’m already through the first trimester.” You strained to do the math in your head again, Rob leaned up on his elbow, looking at you.

“Thirteen weeks,” he said, noticing that you had forgotten that as well, “and I’ll take you.”

“You don’t have to go.”

“Are you kidding? I want to.”

You grinned at him as he leaned in to kiss you.

“Besides, we need to find out if you’re okay to travel so I can take you to the con with me next week.”

You sort of cringed at the idea of traveling considering how you had been feeling. Also, you weren’t sure if you were ready to face his friends just yet. However, the idea of being away from Rob for an entire weekend at this point made you feel worse. You had been spending so much time together, and he had been so attentive and sweet to you, you couldn’t think of going without him for that many days.

Rob laid back down, resting his head into the crook of your neck again. He laid his hand on your belly, which by now, had already begun to grow pretty rapidly. Just weeks ago, you had woken up one morning, swearing that the bump had appeared overnight. You, of course; given the fact that you were hormonal anyway, had cried when you stood in front of the bathroom mirror while attempting to fit into a pair of jeans that you could swear you had worn only days before. Rob, on the other hand, just stared at you almost in awe, that million-dollar grin plastered on his face as even he too finally noticed that your baby bump was obvious.

It had only been a couple of weeks since that particular day and you were already trying to think of ways that you could conceal your belly if you were able to attend the con with him. 

* * *

Later, at your appointment; you and Rob sat in the waiting room. You flipped through a parenting magazine and Rob sat next to you, looking rather uncomfortable.

“You okay?” you asked, placing a hand on his arm.

“I’m okay, I just… never thought I’d be in a place like this.”

“It’s not so bad,” you replied, returning your focus to your magazine, “it’s just a check-up. It’ll be quick.”

The nurse finally moved the two of you in the exam room where she checked your vitals before you waited patiently for the doctor. Rob sat in a chair, still fidgeting and you couldn’t help but sense his anxiousness.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m okay, really. I’m just a little nervous.”

“Well stop, you’re making me nervous now.”

The doctor entered the room just then, causing Rob to jump slightly.

“Hello again, Y/N,” She greeted you before turning to Rob, “and you must be the father?”

“Y-yeah,” Rob replied, reaching out a hand to shake hers.

After introductions were made, the doctor went right to work, looking you over, reading through the information the nurse had completed in your file.

“Are you having any more issues with morning sickness?” she asked.

“Not really. I haven’t been so sick to where I can’t eat. I still get nauseated, but it usually passes with no problems now. I think the medication is working pretty well.”

“You’re gaining back the weight nicely based on what you were at during the ER visit. And you seem to be doing well.”

“I feel a lot better, really. I have this guy,” you said, motioning toward Rob, “taking care of me constantly.”

“Good. It’s important to have a partner who is just as involved with this as you are. Especially given your condition. Do you have any questions?”

“Is she okay to travel?” Rob cut in, anxious to hear the answer. “We were planning on going to Chicago next week… if-if she’s okay to go.”

“I don’t see why not. I think it’s okay to take you off bed rest, you’re doing well. As long as you take it easy and don’t overdo it, you should be fine to travel for now.” Rob grinned at the answer. You could tell he was excited to have you join him at the con.

“We can listen to the baby’s heartbeat if you’d like,” the doctor added, moving to the other side of the room.

“Oh, I heard it a couple of weeks ago actually.”

“You did?” Rob looked at you, seemingly hurt by the fact.

“When I went to the ER,” you explained, “I told them I was pregnant and that was the first thing they did, listen to the heartbeat.”

Rob frowned. He was obviously hurt that you had heard the baby’s heartbeat without him and it made you feel bad. You really liked the idea of sharing these moments with him, so you didn’t want to spoil this.

“Although, I was kind of a mess and didn’t really get to appreciate the moment…” you looked at Rob, “I’d like to hear it again. Now that my boyfriend is with me.”

She smiled at the two of you, “we’re also going to see what the little one looks like, if that’s okay.”

You looked back at Rob, who’s eyes were now wide, “really?” he asked.

“Yes, Y/N should have had this done a few weeks ago, but I understand the situation. I just want to make sure everything is going well.”

The doctor got you situated on the bed, directing you to expose your belly. She worked quickly at preparing the machine, turning towards Rob, “can you get the lights?”

Rob moved quickly to turn the lights off and as he returned to your side, the doctor placed the handheld device on your belly, the gel coating it making you squirm slightly at how cold it was. You felt Rob grip onto your hand and you looked up at him, noticing that the poor man was still a nervous wreck. You squeezed onto his hand until he glanced down at you. You gave him a reassuring smile, trying to let him know that everything was okay. He leaned down to kiss you as the doctor moved the device around your belly, trying to find a good spot. Rob rested his forehead against yours. He seemed more relaxed now, so you stayed like that for a moment, letting him just be close to you.

Suddenly, the sound filled the room. You could finally hear the familiar sound that you had heard while you were in the ER, only now, you were not feeling miserable and scared. Your breath hitched at the sound, eyes finding Rob’s. He was wide-eyed again, mouth slightly open. He swallowed hard as he heard the sound of the rapid heartbeat coming from the machine.

“Is that…?” He turned his attention to the doctor, unable to even finish his sentence.

“That’s the baby’s heartbeat,” the doctor chimed in, “it sounds great by the way.”

He looked back to you, blue eyes watering; and you knew that the man might lose it. You already felt yourself tearing up, overwhelmed at actually being able to appreciate the sound now that Rob was with you. The two of you couldn’t pull your eyes away from each other. You waited for him to say something, but he just stared at you, looking just as overwhelmed as you felt.

“There’s your baby,” you heard the doctor speak, breaking you and Rob from your moment together. You both looked over to the screen at the same time. Sure enough, there it was. Your little baby on the monitor as you continued to listen to the heartbeat. A wave of emotions came over you and you felt yourself begin to cry.

“Are you okay?” Rob asked, still gripping onto your hand. You glanced at him to see his own eyes wet with tears.

“I’m fine, this is just… so amazing.”

“Yeah it is,” he whispered, placing a kiss to your forehead.

The doctor pointed to the screen, showing you small details you would have otherwise not noticed. But there it was, the unmistakable features of a baby. You stared in awe, you were finally able to make out the baby’s face and arms. This was very different from your last ultrasound when the baby showed up on the screen as nothing more than what looked like a peanut. That had been a difficult appointment. You went alone, still under the impression that you were going to be going through pregnancy and motherhood on your own. The doctor continued, assuring the both of you that the baby was healthy and had a strong heartbeat.

“Do you want to know the gender?” The doctor asked, looking over to you, a smirk on her face.

“W-what? I thought that came later on…” Rob stuttered.

“It usually does. But the baby is in a prime position, and I can tell right now without a doubt.”

Your heart skipped a beat. You hadn’t been prepared for this at all. You expected to wait at least another month or so before you would know the gender.

“Are you sure?” you asked. Even you had read in the baby books that this wouldn’t happen until later on.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, every once in a while I catch it early on.” She explained, “and I’m always right.”

You and Rob looked at each other quickly. You knew immediately that you wanted to know. Whether or not he did was another question.

“What do you think?” you asked him.

“Yes, I mean, only if you do too…” he replied, eyes searching yours.

“Of course I do, we wanted to be prepared…”

“Yeah,” he said, his grip on your hand still tightening.

“You sure? Maybe you want it to be a surprise instead?” the doctor cut in.

“No!” you and Rob spoke at the same time.

“We- we want to know,” Rob said a little more calmly.

She pointed to the screen again, the baby’s heartbeat still echoing through the room. “See this right here?” You strained your eyes to see what she was pointing at, but you couldn’t tell what it was due to how grainy the resolution was.

“I don’t see anything…” you said.

“It’s hard to tell if you’ve never seen an ultrasound before… but this right here,” she continued still pointing to the same spot on the screen, “tells me that you’re having a boy.”

Your breath caught at the words. You hadn’t really thought about this part yet. Neither you nor Rob had discussed whether you wanted a boy or a girl, in fact, you realized that it wasn’t even an issue. You knew you’d be happy either way. Now, it was confirmed. Your eyes darted to Rob at the announcement. He was still looking at the screen in shock.

“Really?” he asked, “and you’re sure?”

“Positive. In fact, if I’m wrong at your next check-up, I’ll personally paint the nursery pink.” The doctor replied with a laugh.

Rob looked back at you, a smile forming on his face in place of the constant look of shock that he had been in ever since you arrived here.

“We’re having a boy?” his statement came out in question form, still in disbelief.

“Yeah,” you assured him, “we’re gonna have a son.” Just saying the words out loud was enough to make you tear up again. You could feel your own smile growing, mostly at seeing how he was reacting to the news. You weren’t sure how he had been feeling up to this point, but witnessing his reactions right now made you feel a lot better about everything.

“I’ll print you off a picture,” the doctor said, catching your attention again. She had moved the device from your belly, and was now cleaning off the gel. The sounds of the heartbeat were gone and the doctor moved across the room to turn the lights back on. You fixed your shirt, sitting up as Rob helped you.

She returned to the machine and handed you the picture of the ultrasound. You smiled as you held it in your hand, again feeling overwhelmed by how each day was making this all seem more and more real.

“I’ll see you again next month, make sure to set up an appointment before you leave,” she raised an eyebrow at you, indicating that she wasn’t playing around anymore. You knew you had to keep up with your appointments, and you had been terrible in doing so.

“I will,” you promised, “thank you.”

“Take a minute, and just make sure to see the receptionist on your way out,” she left the room, leaving you and Rob to have a moment together.

Rob ran his hands through his hair as she left, letting out a deep breath. This time, it wasn’t out of frustration based on the smile that was still present.

“You good?” you asked. You could still feel your heart racing from all of the excitement.

“I’m good,” he breathed heavily, “this was a lot to take in for one day.”

You cocked your head at him, wondering what he meant.

“I mean, I just wasn’t expecting all of…” he waved his hands around briefly, “this, right away.”

“Me neither,” you responded, “it was a little overwhelming.”

“How do you feel?” he asked, moving closer to you. He placed his hands on your hips as he searched your face.

“I feel… really good,” you said honestly. “I’ve been a little freaked out, mostly just… blind to how real this is… but right now, I feel good. I think I feel better just having you here with me.”

“I’m so glad I didn’t let you talk me out of coming,” he laughed, “this is real. Like, we’re really having a baby,” he said the words out loud, almost as if he were trying to convince himself.

“Yeah, we really are,” you echoed his statement, still trying to wrap your head around the fact that you already knew the gender of your child.

* * *

A week later, you were on a plane with Rob, headed to Chicago. You had been feeling nervous over the thought of flying; due to the fact that you were already a nervous flier and the fact that you still weren’t one hundred percent back to normal with your morning sickness. You feared that you would get sick on the plane, which would have been embarrassing and disgusting. You decided that having a professional flier next to you the entire time made the experience easier. Rob had chuckled lightly as you white-knuckled the arm rest of your seat through the first part of the flight. But, he spent most of the time holding your hand and speaking softly in an attempt to help you relax. At one point, you had even fallen asleep on his shoulder. Somehow, you made it through the long flight, arriving in Chicago in one piece and surprisingly, not as sick as you expected to be.

You breathed easier once you had arrived at the hotel. Rob struggled with the bags, insisting on carrying yours as well as his. You couldn’t convince him that you were fully capable of handling your own luggage, which made you smile at how caring he was being. You watched him as he tried to manage his own bag along with two of yours, luckily his other gear would arrive separately and he didn’t have to worry about it.

“You know, seeing you like this reminds me of when we met in Nashville,” you mused, “only this time it’s you who’s the hot mess.”

He laughed, “you’re not wrong. Just don’t give me anything else to carry.”

When you finally made it to your room; Rob dropped the bags, panting heavily at his workout. You flopped onto the bed, also feeling exhausted and you hadn’t even done anything. You groaned, rubbing your temples as you felt a headache coming on. Rob made his way to you, lying down next to you as he stroked your arm.

“You okay?” he asked, a hint of concern filling his voice.

“My head is starting to hurt,” you complained, “and my feet are killing me.”

Rob sat up and reached down to remove your shoes. He moved one of your legs to his lap and began to rub your feet.

“That tickles,” you giggled, squirming for a moment under his hands. He applied more pressure until it was no longer ticklish. You groaned at the feeling of his fingers massaging your foot. “Oh yeah, that’s the stuff…” you mumbled, closing your eyes as you enjoyed the moment. He chuckled as he continued to work on your foot for some time before moving to the other.

“You’re too good to me,” you told him, smiling fondly at him.

“I’m trying to be,” he stayed focused on his task.

“Are you kidding? You’re the best.” He finished massaging your feet, which now felt so much better. He laid back down next to you, rubbing his hand against your belly. It was something that he did often. You admitted that it made your heart melt each time, not only was he caring and attentive to you, but he always took a moment to pay attention to your baby.

“And how’s my boy?” He asked you, grinning like a fool at the words.

“He’s doing great. He behaved really well through the flight.” His next movement caught you off guard, it wasn’t something that he had done before. Rob sat up again, this time he moved his head down towards your stomach. He pulled your top up slightly, exposing your still growing bump, and leaned in to place a kiss to it. You felt yourself blush and tear up again. These damn hormones had you constantly emotional, and the fact that he had just kissed your stomach sent your emotions all over the place. It was a simple thing really, but having him behave like this with your child warmed your heart. In that moment, you knew the two of you would be okay. You knew he was going to be a great father. You let your hands play in his hair, enjoying the moment.

“I don’t want to go to the convention yet,” Rob complained, now standing up to get ready for the evening. There wasn’t much going on considering it was only Thursday, but the band always had to set up early and he and Rich had to spend some time going over the Schedule. These guys were an important part of the show; staying for the whole con, being there before anyone else, and just making sure everything ran smoothly.

You followed his cue and sat up, willing yourself to freshen up after the long flight and get ready as well.

“You can stay and rest if you want, I don’t expect you to come with me to the most boring part of the con.”

“I want to come with you,” you replied as you dug through your bag, looking for a shirt. You had been sure to bring shirts that might conceal your belly for now, and you found one that you thought would work for today.

You changed quickly and made your way to the bathroom.

“Maybe we could get the announcement out of the way…” you heard Rob say, almost as if it were a question directed toward you, “I mean at least with the band. Usually Bri and Kim are around too… mostly to harass us.”

You glanced out of the bathroom at him, toothbrush in mouth, a little scared by his statement.

“Really?” you asked, trying to hold toothpaste from falling out of your mouth.

Rob shrugged, “Yeah, why not? They’re going to know,” he pointed toward your stomach. You glanced down, realizing that the flowy shirt you had changed into really didn’t conceal much. You had a baby bump, and it was pretty obvious.

“If you think it’s better that way… then that’s fine,” you replied after rinsing your mouth.

“Y/N, we have to tell them eventually…”

“I know. I’m just… scared of what they’re going to think.”

“Hey, I don’t care what anyone thinks. They know I fell for you hard, they saw what a mess I was when you left… us having a baby shouldn’t come as a surprise to them really.”

“Yeah?”

“Well yeah, you can’t imagine how often I heard that we were moving too fast, that I was too far into this with you. But I did it anyway.”

“Do any of them know that we’re back together?” You sat on the edge of the bed, working at putting your shoes back on.

“Yes, I may have missed the last convention, but they know. I had Rich intervene if questions came up. he told me that he definitely had to explain some things to most of them. Mostly just said that you and I were working things out and I needed to be home for that to happen. He didn’t tell anyone that you were pregnant. That one is up to us to announce.”

You sighed heavily, nervous at the fact that it was time. You were obviously pregnant, and fairly far along. Hell, you already knew the gender. This was happening, and you knew that people deserved to know.

“Okay, then let’s do this,” you said, trying to hype yourself up. Maybe everyone would be completely understanding and possibly excited for the two of you. Still, you couldn’t dodge the nagging feeling in the back of your mind that there may be at least a few of his friends who wouldn’t be supportive.

“Are you ready?” He asked, holding his hand out to you.

You smiled at him, “I’m ready,” you took his hand and let him lead you out the door.

* * *

You arrived at the convention area, Rob directing you to the greenroom. You had only been to one con in the past, but it felt a lot more comfortable this time around. You felt like a pro now, entering the room with Rob, hand-in-hand.

The space was sparse right now. The only people there being the rest of the band and Rich. Rich glanced up from his phone as you and Rob entered the room.

“Hey!” he grinned, standing up to greet you, “I’m so glad you were able to make it.” He pulled you into a hug before turning to Rob. “Glad you could make it too, buddy.” He placed a hand on Rob’s shoulder.

“Thanks Rich. Glad to be back,” Rob replied.

“And how are you?” Rich returned his attention to you, “is everything going okay?” he gave you a somewhat concerned look. You sort of felt bad for the man. After all, you had sent him into a panic with the ride to the ER and the sudden announcement of your pregnancy.

“I’m good, I’m feeling so much better,” you assured him.

“I’m glad to hear it, you had me worried,” Rich took your hand in his, squeezing it slightly. “And I’m also glad to see that things are… working out here?”

“Yeah buddy, we’re doing good,” Rob said, placing an arm around your waist. This movement caused Rich to glance down. His eyes went wide as he looked at your stomach.

“Wow, I didn’t realize we were that far along yet.” He had obviously noticed your growing belly and you shifted in your spot, now feeling uncomfortable. If he had noticed, surely everyone else would. “Just so you know,” he continued, “I didn’t tell anyone. No one knows.”

“Thanks man, I think it’s up to us to let people know,” Rob directed you toward the couch as he sensed how uncomfortable you were. He helped you sit and get comfortable.

“I’m not that big yet,” you said, still appreciative of how attentive he was being. You saw Billy, Mike, and Stephen out of the corner of your eye on the other side of the room, talking quietly amongst themselves, occasionally glancing in your direction. “You sure they don’t know yet?” you asked, nodding toward the men.

“I don’t think so,” Rich replied, “not unless Robbie said anything.”

“I haven’t yet,” Rob put a hand up, waving the men over when he caught their attention. The three walked toward you.

“Hey Y/N, it’s good to see you again,” Billy said with a smile, “Rob said he had to bail at the last convention to try to win you back. Looks like it worked.”

You chuckled at his statement, “well, he is a sweet talker. I couldn’t resist.”

You couldn’t help but notice that the three men were uncomfortably avoiding something. It was as if they wanted to say something, perhaps what they had been discussing a few moments ago among themselves.

“So, uh, Rob… it’s great that the two of you are together again… but, uh, is there anything else you want to tell us?” Mike spoke up, earning him some elbows from Billy and Stephen.

“What do you mean?” Rob teased. He knew what they were getting at, but he wasn’t giving it up that easily.

“I don’t know, just thought maybe you had some news or-”

“Dude,” Stephen cut in, giving Mike an annoyed look. You couldn’t help but laugh at them. You knew then that they were noticing something very different about you.

Rob gave a full-body laugh at their banter, lightening the mood and making you feel a bit more comfortable.

“Okay,” he said in between laughs, “look, I know this is really sudden, and Y/N and I haven’t been together for very long, but I do have some news… we have some news…” he looked at you as if to ask for the okay. You nodded at him, letting him know he could continue.

“We’re having a baby,” Rob said, another grin plastered on his face. Every time that the talk of the baby began, the man was all smiles.

“I knew it!” shouted Mike, turning to Billy and Stephen as if he had just won a bet.

“We all knew it,” said Stephen, “it’s just rude to straight up ask a woman if she’s pregnant.”

“How did this even happen?” Billy asked. You knew he was very curious about the timeline of events in you and Rob’s relationship, but you couldn’t help but tease a little.

“You see Billy, when two people fall in love, they sometimes have sex…”

“Oh my god!” he cried, face turning red, “I know how it happens! I meant, like, when did this happen? The two of you went months without seeing each other…” You grimaced at his observation. You knew what he was getting at, and you didn’t like the implication.

“Look, I didn’t realize that I was pregnant until a couple of months after I left, but I haven’t been with anyone else, the doctor even confirmed the timing. It happened either during that weekend in Nashville or when I went back home.”

Billy gave you a look, indicating that he felt bad for even mentioning it.

“Well, congrats… I guess?” Stephen said, shrugging his shoulders as if he wasn’t sure if it was okay to offer congratulations given the situation.

“No, it’s okay,” Rob said, “we’re pretty excited. I know this all happened so fast and it was kind of a mess for a while there… but we’re okay, really. This is okay.”

Rob’s words had the guys offering their congratulations freely now. There were hugs and thank you’s, and you began to feel a lot better about telling people simply because they had been so accepting of the news.

“A congratulatory drink?” Stephen asked, directing the question to Rob. Rob looked at you as if asking for permission.

“Go ahead, just bring me a water when you come back,” you winked at him. He leaned down, placing a kiss on the top of our head before he, Rich, Stephen, and Mike headed off toward the make-shift bar that was already set up. Billy stayed behind, sitting next to you as the other men left.

“I didn’t mean to imply anything before,” he explained, “it’s just, that whole situation had him a mess, and none of knew what was going on.”

“It’s okay. I get it,” you said, “it was a mess… I was a mess and I made a huge mistake leaving him like that.”

“None of us ever want to see Rob hurt, he’s a good guy. And he was so whipped over you… I couldn’t help but feel like it wasn’t going to go well for him. He’s just… never moved so quickly into a relationship before. That’s why I talked to you before, about how much he liked you. I wanted to make sure you understood that.”

“I do understand that,” you replied. You really did. All of his friends had made it very clear that hurting Rob was not going to go over well with them, but you had done it anyway. You wanted them to be able to understand that you hadn’t meant to hurt him, that you had done these things with a clear purpose in your mind. Could you do that without having to relive your painful past? “The past few months have been a trainwreck for me. I left him thinking I was doing the right thing, for him. But when he found me again… I knew that I couldn’t keep pushing him away, no matter what was going on in my life.”

Billy nodded his head, showing that he had some understanding what you meant.

“I made a lot of mistakes,” you continued, “and I’m still paying for those mistakes. When I realized I was pregnant, it almost destroyed me… because I knew that I had pushed Rob out of my life and I didn’t think I could ever do anything to fix what I had done to him. I really thought that I’d be on my own with this.”

“He had a hard time staying away from you,” Billy added, “no matter how much we told him to just move on, he didn’t stop talking about you that whole time… never stopped trying to call you.”

“I promise you, I was never out to cause him pain. I really do love him, and that’s the whole reason I left him in the first place. It doesn’t make sense, but I have my reasons. They were stupid reasons, but they made sense at the time.”

“Okay,” Billy sighed as if it were a breath of relief, “as long as you’re both happy.”

“We are, he is… I know that’s what everyone is concerned about,” you placed a hand on his arm, “it was tough for a long time, trust me, I got my fill of seeing how hurt and angry Rob was. But we just got through it.”

“That’s good. That’s how relationships are supposed to work,” Billy offered you a smile.

“Why don’t you go have that drink with the guys,” you told him, trying to move on from the conversation. You didn’t want to discuss it too much in detail. This was you and Rob’s situation, no one else’s. All you wanted to do was make sure they understood that things had happened, but the two of you worked through them. There was no need for anyone to push too much getting details. You felt relieved when Billy finally excused himself to join the guys, no longer pushing the issue.

You watched the guys stand around, having drinks and laughing for a while. Only after Rob brought you that water that you had asked for. You made yourself comfortable on the couch, suddenly feeling tired. It seemed like no matter how much you slept or what you did, you became exhausted easily. You closed your eyes for a moment to rest, but your moment was short lived when you heard a voice break through the semi-quiet room.

“Hey bitches!”

You opened your eyes quickly, looking toward the door and noticed Briana enter the room, arms in the air, seemingly excited to see everyone. Kim followed right behind her, laughing at Briana’s entrance. You stayed in your spot as the two women didn’t even notice you and made their way to the guys. The group chatted excitedly and although you tried to listen to the conversation, you couldn’t quite make out everything that was being said. So you went back to relaxing in your spot, closing your eyes again.

It wasn’t until you heard Rob’s voice tell them, “yeah, she’s here. She’s right over there on the couch.”

You opened one eye only to see Kim and Briana walking toward you.

“Hey girl,” Kim greeted you, bending down to hug you. It caught you off guard given the way you had ignored her in the past months, but you reciprocated anyway. Briana however, did not attempt to hug you. Instead, she gave you an awkward smile. Fair enough, she didn’t seem pleased to see you, you could accept that. You knew that not all of Rob’s friends would be thrilled to see you again. Kim took a seat next to you.

“How have you been? I haven’t heard from you since all of that stuff we talked about,” she tried to make the discussion of the restraining order and Chris unnoticeable.

“I know, it was rough… but I did what we talked about, and it seems to be working so far.”

“That’s good. And it’s good to see that you’re here with Rob. I know he said he had to stay home during last convention, to work on things between you two.” Apparently, everyone knew about that part of the whole thing but it honestly didn’t bother you much. At least they knew you were trying.

“Yeah, he did. And we did. Things are really good. Crazy right now… but good.”

“What’s so crazy?” Briana cut in, finally adding to the conversation instead of staring you down like she had been doing since she spotted you.

“Just, some things going on… Rob should really probably explain that…” you began to scan the room, searching for him, hoping he would show up to save you from this awkward situation.

“You mean the fact that you’re pregnant?” Briana asked, giving you an unamused look. Your breath caught suddenly. She was definitely glaring at you, obviously unimpressed by the news.

“Did he tell you already?”

“No, but it’s pretty obvious,” she nodded toward you as she stared at your stomach. “Also, I figured something had to have come up when I heard he was back home, trying to work things out with you.”

“Oh,” you said softly, eyes moving to the floor. You could still feel her eyes glaring at you and you felt really uncomfortable.

“I mean, I can’t imagine why he’d want to go back to the girl that broke his heart like that… unless there was something else going on.”

“Bri…” Kim interjected. She sensed how uncomfortable you felt, and also didn’t seem to like the tone Briana was taking with you.

“What? You saw how he was the past few months. All I ever heard was about how angry he was with her. The only reason that I can figure they’re back together is because he knocked her up.” Briana shook her head seemingly disgusted before she turned and walked away.

You sat there in disbelief. You knew some people would not be onboard with this news, but you certainly hadn’t expected that from Briana. You felt your heart race, face flushing red from the embarrassment. You hadn’t expected to be called out like that. Now, you found yourself wondering if she was right. Maybe Rob was only sticking around because of the baby.

“Y/N, ignore her,” Kim offered, rubbing her hand along your back, “we’re all really protective of each other, and she just doesn’t know what went on and why things happened. She’s been pretty pissed over it, but she just doesn’t understand.”

“Maybe she’s right…” you sputtered, eyes watering, “what if he is just taking me back because of the baby? What if he really does still hate me?” Your thoughts were spilling out now as each question filled your mind. You had spent so much time with Rob, working on things between you, thinking that he really did still love you and he wanted to do this together. You hadn’t considered that it could be an act. Perhaps he was just concerned about his child, and he thought the only way to be a part of his life was to take you back.

“Don’t do that to yourself,” Kim said, noticing that you were beginning to panic, “you didn’t deserve that from her, and you better not question any of this. That man loves you. Sure, we all heard him talk about how angry he was with you, but that doesn’t mean he ever stopped loving you.”

You appreciated he words and the fact that she was trying to reassure you, but Briana’s voice replayed in your head. You had no other reason to believe her words other than the fact that Rob’s friends knew him better than you did, and Briana was an unapologetically honest person. You couldn’t help but feel like she might be right. You reminded yourself that Rob was an actor. He acted for a living, and was really good at it. Maybe he really was putting up a front of being an excited soon-to-be dad for the sake of being a part of his child’s life. You felt your stomach become queasy at the thoughts.

“Y/N? Are you okay?” Kim asked.

You glanced around the room again until you spotted Rob. He was still laughing with his friends, enjoying a drink, appearing to be happy. You couldn’t stand the thought of making him feel like he was stuck in a relationship that he didn’t really want to be a part of.

“I’ll be okay,” you replied, “I just… I need to go lie down. I’m pretty tired and that was a little rough. Besides, Rob’s enjoying the company of his friends. Let him know I’m heading back to the room, will you?”

With that, you stood up and immediately headed for the exit.

“Y/N!” Kim called after you. You glanced back to see her give you a pleading look, “please, don’t do anything stupid.” You knew what she was referring to, you were so good at running when a situation turned poorly for you. But even you knew that you weren’t running from Rob anymore.

“I’m not going to do anything, really,” you said, “I just need to be by myself for a minute.”

You turned your back to her and left the room, really just trying to escape Briana’s words and glares that she was giving you the entire time. You knew you just needed to cool off, take some time to try to forget what she had said. You only hoped that she wasn’t going to try to talk Rob out of this situation.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Rob have made their announcement to Rob’s friends. As expected, not everyone is as accepting of the news. Reader finally opens up about her past to Rob and wonders if she can get Briana to change her mind about the situation. Rob has a run-in with a fan that leaves him feeling uncomfortable, and with good reason.

You walked back to your room, everything Briana had said still playing in your mind. When you returned to the room that you and Rob shared, you stormed in and immediately began to collect your things. Fighting back tears, you shoved everything back into your luggage. Of course Briana had been right. Obviously you had hurt Rob so much that he hated you, all of his friends were aware of how angry he had been over the way you left him. It only made sense that he was now sticking around because of the baby. You thought back to how upset he had been when he found out how long you had kept your pregnancy from him, it was one disappointment right after the other when it came to you.

You grabbed your bag and headed for the door only to stop yourself short. You were so good at running. That’s what you did. The only problem now was that you remembered how you had run from Chris so many times, only to go back to him out of fear and loneliness. He had always bullied you into staying with him. He had cheated on you and hurt you so much, but you always ended right back where you shouldn’t have been with him. Now, you had to ask yourself why were you constantly running from Rob? You had left him in the first place, only thinking of his safety. You truly didn’t want him involved in your past, and it was all because of your feelings for him. You had a sweet, caring, wonderful man who you felt honestly loved you too. You had to wonder why it was so easy to leave Rob, without the intention of returning; but you constantly put yourself in an unhealthy situation with Chris. 

You dropped your bag on the floor and sat down on the edge of the hotel room bed, thinking hard about your actions. Yes, you and Rob had been through a lot of difficult things the past few months. And yes, you couldn’t help but allow Briana’s words to continue to eat at you. The worst of it had been her saying that Rob was sticking around because of the baby. Maybe she was right. Maybe that’s the only reason he was putting up with you. That in itself gave you all the reason you needed to leave again. The big problem was that you also had a history of just running without talking. You knew that your biggest fault was that you had a hard time discussing your fears and thoughts with anyone. This has been your downfall in your relationship with Rob. The only reason any of those difficult times had happened was because you couldn’t just talk to him.

This time, instead of running out, you sat there on the bed; waiting.

It hadn’t been long before you heard someone at the door. You looked up expectantly at the door as Rob walked in, looking flustered. You could see his expression relax once he noticed you sitting there. It wasn’t until he looked around the room, noticing your packed bag sitting in front of you, that his expression returned to frustration.

“Are you going somewhere?” he asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He knew you too well.

“No,” you replied, glancing up at him.

“Kim said you were upset and that you just left suddenly,” he explained. He looked at you, disappointment evident on his face, “I had to rush here to make sure you…”

“Were still here?” you finished his sentence for him, knowing that he was sure he would get here and find that you were gone again.

“To make sure you were okay,” he corrected you. His eyes shifted back to your packed bag. “Although, maybe I should have been more worried about you leaving again.”

He moved toward you, taking a seat next to you on the bed. He let out a long sigh before speaking again.

“You were gonna leave me again?”

“I thought about it,” you answered honestly.

“Well, what changed your mind?” You could tell he was upset with you.

“You did.”

Rob looked at you, eyes narrowed, questioning you.

“I was gonna bail because of something Briana said. I thought, obviously she’s right. It’s the only thing that makes sense. I was heading for the door… and I just realized why we were even starting over with us in the first place. And I couldn’t do it again. I couldn’t do that to you again.”

“What is going on?”

“She said that you had been so angry with me when I left.”

“I was, but that doesn’t mean that I ever stopped loving you.”

“She said she figured you were staying with me this time because of the baby.”

“That’s stupid and you know it. I found you, that night at your show, and I did it because I needed to know why you had left. I needed to know if it was something I could fix. I was going to be with you again before I even knew about the baby.”

“Why though? Why would you want someone who does that? Why would you still want someone who continuously lies to you and breaks your heart?”

“Because I love you.”

“So, you’re not just sticking it out with me because you knocked me up?”

“No,” he answered. He placed a hand on your knee, giving it a squeeze in an attempt to reassure you. “I’m sticking with you because there’s just something about you that I can’t let go of. And Briana shouldn’t have said anything to you. It’s not her place.”

“Thank you.” You placed your hand over his, prompting him to adjust and turn his hand so that he could lace his fingers with yours. “I’m sorry… again.”

Rob leaned in to you, taking your face with his free hand to lead you into a kiss. Your lips met his and you smiled against his mouth, still amazed at how this man made you feel every time he kissed you. You let yourself get lost in the moment, in his lips, the sensation of his beard against your skin. No one had ever made you feel this way and you knew that nothing could keep you away from him. Nothing could ever make you want to run from him again. He was another one of those habits that you were sure that you could never break. Only this time, it wasn’t a bad habit, and it wasn’t fear that would keep you here.

“Talk to me,” he urged you as he ended the kiss. He leaned down to remove his shoes before crawling up on the bed, leaning against the headboard and watching you as if he were waiting for something. You followed suit, removing your own shoes and then following him to where he was. You laid next to him as he wrapped an arm around your shoulders and you nuzzled into his side, desperate for his warmth.

“Are you angry with me again? For possibly almost having walked out again?”

“No. You didn’t walk out. You’re still here and I’m happy about that. Talk to me.”

“About what?”

“What is it that gets you so scared that you feel like you have to bail every time something happens?”

You squirmed against him, suddenly uncomfortable by the topic of discussion. He sensed your anxiety and pulled you closer to him.

“I mean it. I want to know. You don’t talk about things with me, there’s so much that I still don’t know… and we’re having a baby together. I need to know what goes on in your head, maybe then I can stop freaking out every time you do.”

“Rob,” you hesitated. You weren’t sure if you wanted to delve into depths of your own mind to relive your past. Hell, you weren’t sure if the explanations for your behavior were even obvious anymore. There was a reason these things stayed locked up, and there was a reason why you chose to keep them to yourself. “I don’t know why I do the things that I do.”

“Look, I don’t want to stir shit up. I don’t want you to describe anything to me that you’re not comfortable with. All I know is that… I know nothing about your past. I only know a little bit about your last relationship, which I can say with confidence has a lot to do with everything. Sometimes I feel like so much of what we go through can be avoided, by me, if I just understood you a little more.”

You sucked in a breath. He was right. Of course you had reasons behind your behavior, Rob knew some of that. The night that you finally told him that you were pregnant was proof that he knew at least a little bit about your past. You still cringed at the way you had reacted to that argument. Recalling the look on Rob’s face that night when you flinched was enough to make you realize that maybe he did need to know more.

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything.” He placed a kiss on your forehead. “I want to know all about you because I barely know anything. I feel like I am the only one who has talked about themselves in this entire relationship.”

“There isn’t much else to tell.”

“Tell me about your family. I’ve only ever heard you talk about your grandfather, and even that was pretty vague.”

“Well, my grandpa was an important part of my life. He taught me how to play guitar… with the one that you returned to me.”

“I consider that the lucky guitar. Without it, we may have never met.” Rob said, a smile forming on his face. You smiled too as you replayed the memory in your head. It was true, if you hadn’t left that guitar behind, you may have never met him.

“He was the best guy I ever knew. He taught me about music. He’d play me old country songs and talk about how country music was the best way to feel things.” You began to talk, remembering him and the memories seemed to spill out of you. “There’s a country song for everything; whether you’re sad, or lonely, or in love, or heartbroken, or if you just want to sit back and drink a beer. I only ever got to see him when he’d buy me a plane ticket back to Nashville every now and then. I was pretty young when my parents moved us out to California.”

“He sounds like he was a really great man.”

“He was. He meant a lot to me.”

“Your parents? You’ve only mentioned them once to me,” Rob took advantage of you finally opening up to him, he constantly asked you about your parents, but it was never something that you wanted to talk about. It wasn’t all bad memories, but much of it still hurt.

“My parents are a different story. My dad raised me almost all on his own. My mom left when I was a kid. I just remember her being so angry all the time, she’d yell a lot, mostly at my dad. When I got older, I learned that she had stayed with him as long as she did because they had a kid together. He didn’t talk about it much; but when she did leave, it was because she had felt trapped in her marriage… she felt trapped in being a mother when she didn’t want to be.”

You felt Robs grip on your shoulder tighten as you spoke. The movement somehow made you feel more comfortable; and although you hadn’t meant to, you began to spill even more of your story to him.

“She left and it really was for the best. I mean, dad struggled for sure. He had a tough time raising a girl by the time I became a teenager. And he worked so hard to provide for me.”

“You never talk about him, but it sounds like you at least loved him, like he was a good dad.”

“He really was. I was eighteen when he passed away. He just got real sick one day… and before I knew it, he was gone.” You felt the tears well up in your eyes. It wasn’t something that you really talked about to anyone. Again, they were just memories that you had managed to lock away for years.

“I’m so sorry Y/N…”

“Anyway, I just got stuck in L.A. Not that I’m complaining. I started writing songs and I remember just popping in at open mic nights whenever I could. I just had a lot of songs that were building up in me, and I wanted to get them out. My manager heard me one night at a bar and convinced me to let him make me a star,” you laughed at the memory, “and we worked together… I performed a bit here and there, but eventually I just started getting artists who were hearing my demos and wanted to record my songs themselves. At first, I wasn’t having any of that. I wanted to be a singer, I really did.”

“Why didn’t you just keep doing it then? What happened to make you give that up?”

“I met Chris,” you felt yourself cringe as a flood of memories filled your mind, “I fell in love with him, he was my first boyfriend, and… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t talk about him…”

“Tell me, I want to know.”

“He wasn’t always all bad, not at first. After a couple of years, things changed though. He started telling me to give up on trying to be a singer, that it wasn’t going to happen. He was the one to convince me to just write songs and sell them to other singers, because I just wasn’t that that good. And I loved him and I thought that he loved me, so why would he lie to me? So that’s what I did. I wrote my feelings down on paper, wrote the music to go with the words, and handed those little pieces of me to other people so that they could make money off of them. It’s actually kind of sad when I think about it now.” You paused for a moment, running your hand along Rob’s chest as you became lost in the thoughts of Chris. “The abuse… I couldn’t tell you when that even started because I never looked at it as abuse until right near the end. But, I think back now and I realize how terrible he was to me. He liked to put me down, call me names… sometimes I think that the way he spoke to me hurt way more than the times he hit me. I always say, the bruises and the pain fade away… but I guess the words stick around for much longer.”

“Jesus, Y/N…” you could tell he was struggling to find the right words to say. This was why you didn’t talk about your past, it was often just something that put others in an awkward situation of knowing about you and not being able to react properly.

“The shitty thing is, I left that man so many times. Usually when he’d hit me or grab me by the throat, I’d just up and leave. He scared me so much. But he always had a way of, I guess, scaring me into going back to him, convincing me that I couldn’t do any better than him… and it would always just be the same. I guess that’s why I’m so good at running, I’m just not very good at staying away.”

“I-I didn’t mean to make you feel like you had to come back to me…” You looked up into Rob’s eyes as he spoke, a hint of pain in his eyes. You realized that he felt bad about having tracked you down to talk to you, confront you for leaving him. But this was all very different. Looking for someone because you love them and miss them is a far cry from bullying someone into coming back to you.

“Rob, stop. For the first time in my life; I had someone who chased me for all the right reasons. You came back for me despite how messed up I am. And I wanted to come back. I never wanted to leave in the first place, I just felt that I had to. But, I saw you that night; and you kissed me… and for once, I just felt… safe.”

“You didn’t feel safe with how angry I got when you finally told me that you were pregnant. I still can’t forget that, and I still feel so horrible for scaring you.” He was still blaming himself for you flinching during your argument. You couldn’t help but bad that you actually reacted that way with him, and you had to let him know that it wasn’t his fault.

“I just… I spent a lot of years learning how to brace myself for arguments that never ended well. I understand that, in relationships, we’re not going to agree all the time and we’re gonna have arguments… that’s normal. But, for me, arguments just never ended in my favor. I can’t tell you how many times I thought I my head that nothing was going to happen that night. I knew that I was still safe with you, I knew you weren’t going to hurt me… it was just a reaction. It was just something that I became so used to doing, and I didn’t know how to react with someone new.”

“I’m just… I’m so sorry that you had to go through all of that.”

“The worst part of it was choosing to leave you when I felt afraid of what Chris could do. You have to know, I never wanted that, ever. It killed me to walk away from you. For all that time that we were away from each other, I never stopped thinking about you. I never stopped missing you. That… that was the worst pain I’ve ever felt. And then, I found out that I was pregnant… there were so many times that I wanted to call you. But, I was trying to keep you out of messy life and I knew that if I heard your voice, I would just lose it.” You were sobbing openly now as the words left your mouth. “I was more scared during that time than I had ever been before.”

You felt something like a mixture of relief and fear overcome you. This had been the first time you had ever been so open with Rob. In all of the months that you had known him, you hadn’t ever told him most of this. He knew bits and pieces about your life, but even though you knew you were in love with him, you had never felt safe enough to trust him with your past. The fear came from not being sure how he would react. The relief was your realization that for once in your life, you really did feel safe.

“Y/N, thank you.” You looked up at him, eyes still wet with tears, wondering why he was thanking you right now.

“For what?” you sniffled.

“For trusting me enough to talk about these things.” He brought a hand up to your face and ran it across your cheek, wiping away the tears that had gathered there. “I love you so much. I knew I was going to love you the moment that you took my hand when I helped you up off that floor in Nashville. The second I looked you in the eyes, I just knew I was done for.”

You fought back a laugh, “I wondered if I’d see those pretty blue eyes again.”

“And you did because something kept putting us in the way of each other that whole weekend.”

“Rich?” You suggested, remembering how the man happened to be there constantly each time you and Rob found each other again.

Rob laughed hard, “Maybe not so much Rich… I was gonna say fate, but that sounds kinda corny now.”

You watched him, entranced by his laughter. You studied the way his eyes crinkled in the corners when he smiled, and you couldn’t help but reach a hand up to let your fingertips play in that cute gray patch of his beard. He watched you affectionately as you did so, his own hand now tracing along your arm.

“We could call it that… fate. I like it, no matter how corny it sounds.”

He leaned down to kiss you again and you sighed into his lips. It really did feel better having him know all of this. No matter how scary it was to open up for the first time in your life, you couldn’t help but feel relieved right now. Mostly because Rob wasn’t bailing on you, he wasn’t judging you, he was still in love with you.

“Look,” he started, “I’m gonna talk to Briana, let her know that she was out of line.”

“You don’t have to do that, she’s your friend and she’s only looking out for you.”

“I know, but she needs to understand that this is our life,” he explained, motioning between the two of you, “and there are just certain things that she doesn’t know about us.”

You thought hard for a moment, realizing that there was a lot that none of his friends understood. If anything, Kim knew you and your situation better than even Rob did. The idea of family had been somewhat of a foreign concept to you in the last decade of your life, and you understood that these friends that Rob had gained through his band and these conventions were basically family to him. You also remembered that, because of this baby, you were also Rob’s family. The two of you were starting your own little family together, and in turn, that meant Rob’s extended family would also be your own. Maybe it was time to start acting like a family.

“You know Rob,” you thought out loud, still resting against his chest, “why don’t you let me talk to her? She obviously thinks I’m trying to trap you in a relationship with me, she’ll only think that you’re just sticking up for me.”

“I don’t expect you to do that.”

You nodded, indicating that you understood. “I know you don’t, but it actually felt really good to talk about all of that. It makes me feel… I don’t know… closer to you. Might be good for my relationships with your friends to open up a bit more.”

Rob moved his arm from around you, scooting down to lay on the pillow so that he was at eye-level with you. You both laid there for a moment, looking into each other’s eyes. He only spoke when he reached up to move a strand of hair from your face.

“You’re pretty amazing, do you know that?”

You felt your face turn red, still finding yourself embarrassed each time he complimented you.

“No, I’m really not…”

He moved his face in closer to yours, placing a kiss on the tip of your nose. “You’re amazing,” he moved to kiss your cheek, “you’re beautiful,” this time he placed a kiss to your forehead. You were giggling now as he peppered your face with kisses. “You’re strong,” he kissed you at the corner of your mouth, “you’re talented,” he moved to the other side of your mouth, “and you’re going to be such an amazing mother.” This time, he ghosted his lips above yours for a moment, causing you to beg him to finally kiss you. He did as you asked, lips gently colliding with yours.

It was a sweet kiss up until he decided to bite at your lip before swiping his tongue along it. You had meant to let out a sigh, but it came out as a moan. You watched him raise a brow before he moved on top of you, pushing you back gently against the bed.

“You have no idea what you do to me Y/N.” he whispered before his lips crashed into yours again. He worked his way between your legs so that you could feel the bulge in his jeans push against your core.  You squirmed beneath him, suddenly aching for him. The two of you hadn’t been intimate in some time, considering how sick you had been. You didn’t realize how much you wanted him until this moment. You moaned louder as he pressed against you again.

“Rob…” you breathed out, unable to form a coherent sentence. He grinned at you before moving to your neck where he nipped and sucked at your skin.

“Please…” you begged, not really sure what it was you were begging for. You only knew that you needed more of him. Your pleads seemed to have a strong effect on him because he stilled his movements and leaned up on his elbows to stare down at you. You let him take you in, still aching for him. But he only watched you with an expression that you hadn’t ever seen in anyone else who ever looked at you. You waited, wondering what it was that he was thinking right now. Your heartbeat began to slow down and your breathing began to steady. You wanted him to finish what he had started, so you carefully arched up against him. He closed his eyes, mouth falling open in a low moan at the friction.

You grinned playfully up at him, carding your hands through his hair. He looked back down at you before he moved in for another kiss and began to make his way down your neck again.

“I’m so lucky,” he muttered against your skin, “I’m so lucky to have you.” You smiled to yourself as he continued to work at your skin, still grinding against you.

You thought for a moment about those words. Rob had talked about fate and luck tonight, things that you weren’t sure you ever believed in. But right now, having him in this way, even after everything… you couldn’t help but agree with his sentiments. Maybe you and he had found each other because it was just fate. Maybe luck was finally on your side when it came to love.

“I’m lucky too,” you said out loud.

* * *

The first day of the convention meant that Rob’s real work for the weekend had begun. You woke early with him, getting ready for the day together, and followed him down to the convention area. You knew day one was when Kim and Briana had their panel, which meant Briana would be fairly easy to run into at some point today. You couldn’t help but to feel nervous, knowing that you had some things to explain to her. At this point, It wasn’t about trying to convince her to accept you or even believe you; now, it was about making her realize that she had to come to terms with your relationship with Rob and the fact that the two of you were having a child together. The last thing you wanted was for Rob’s friends to doubt you or your relationship.

You found yourself waiting in the greenroom again, watching as people trickled into the room to start the day. You sat on the couch as Rob conversed with the band and Rich about the schedule for the day. You sipped on your tea that Rob had brought to you when you mentioned that you had woken up with a bit of a queasy stomach. Eventually, Rob approached you to let you know that the band was heading to the theater to rehearse, giving you a kiss before he did so.

Now, you waited anxiously, watching the doors hoping that Briana would walk in soon. Still sipping your tea, you thought about what you would say to her and how you would say it.

It seemed like forever before she and Kim finally entered the room. You sat up straight, now feeling nervous. Kim was the first to notice you sitting there. She shot you a smile and made her way towards you, Briana following with an unamused look on her face.

“Hey girl,” Kim beamed at you, “you doing okay? You look a little pale…”

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine,” you replied, taking another drink of your tea, “just woke up with the damn morning sickness again.”

Kim scrunched her face up, “Rob said it had been pretty bad… do you need anything?”

“Nope, I got my tea. Should be okay,” you said, holding up your cup. You looked past Kim to Briana, “Hey Bri…” you spoke carefully, knowing that she was obviously still not impressed by you. She only nodded her head toward you, making sure her eyes didn’t meet yours.

You sighed in frustration. You really didn’t want to do this, but you couldn’t go through this relationship with Rob knowing that one of his best friends hated you and didn’t understand your situation.

“Can I talk to you?” you asked, still staring her down. She looked up at you quizzically.

“Me?”

“Yes, I need to talk to you.”

“I don’t know if there’s anything to talk about Y/N.” Briana moved as if she were prepared to walk away from you, which prompted Kim to grab her by the arm.

“Just listen to her,” Kim said softly, urging Briana to stay.

“Fine,” she replied. She moved slowly to sit on the couch, making sure she stayed a good few feet away from you.

“You can stay too Kim,” you said, giving her permission to join in on the conversation. Kim sat next to you, taking your hand in hers and giving it a squeeze, seemingly encouraging you.

“What’s up?” Briana asked nonchalantly. You could tell she didn’t want to be there, so you made quick work of talking.

“Look, I know you’re less than impressed by this whole situation that I put Rob through. And I know that you are really put off by us having a baby,” you watched her face as you began your explanation. She didn’t respond, so you continued.

“You need to know, that I love Rob. I love him so much that I left him the way that I did because I was trying to protect him.”

Briana whipped her head up at you, “What do you mean you were protecting him? How do you think that treating someone like that is for their own benefit?”

“My ex… you have to know that I had just come out of a relationship right before I met Rob. I thought everything would be okay. But my ex had a hard time accepting the fact that I was done. He started threatening me. Eventually, he found out about Rob, and started threatening him too.” You stopped, feeling overwhelmed again as you began to relive the whole story. Kim squeezed your hand again.

“He was a terrible person. I lived through so much with him… he abused me, and when he left me, I was finally free. I met Rob and I had never had anyone treat me so well before. I thought we could just be together and be happy. For once in my life, I thought I could be happy. But, my ex kept calling me, texting me, harassing me… I talked to Kim, because she overheard a phone call, and Kim helped me figure out how to get a restraining order.”

Briana’s attention shifted to Kim who still sat there silently, nodding to indicate that you were in fact telling the truth.

“I went to Rob’s show when I got back to L.A. and my ex had someone follow me there. This person let me know that Chris knew where I was and who I was with. I panicked. I knew what Chris was capable of, and I didn’t want Rob mixed up in all of that. So I just ran, I didn’t know what else to do. I spent months in pain because of what I had done. I never stopped loving him.”

“You got a restraining order though…” Briana finally added to the conversation.

“Not until after I left Rob. Even then I knew he wasn’t safe. I knew I still wasn’t completely safe. Rob found me at a show I did months later and confronted me. I still loved him, and we just… we just ended up back together.”

“And the baby? When did you know about this?”

You sucked in a breath, ready to relive an even more painful memory, “That was a mess. I found out weeks before my show. I kept it from him for a long time. I finally told him that night after my show. After that, things were really iffy there between us. I have a bad habit of keeping important things to myself. I shouldn’t have kept that from him… but we’ve moved past all of that. After I was in the hospital, he just… he forgave me. I know I didn’t deserve forgiveness, but he loves me, and he was willing to move past all of that. I hope you can too.”

“You were in the hospital?” She gave you a worried look. There was the Briana you remembered. The one who encouraged you to spend time with Rob, give him a chance.

“I was just really sick from this pregnancy. Had to be on IVs and stuff. I feel like it’s getting better though.”

“That’s good.”

“That’s why Rob missed the last convention. I was sick and he stayed to take care of me, even though he was still obviously upset with me.”

“He really does love you,” Briana said, “even when he talked about how angry he was at you, I could tell he was just devastated because he loves you so much.”

“I never wanted to hurt him. In my mind, it was a decision I had to make… either I hurt him or go on wondering if Chris would do something.”

“And he’s out of the picture now?” she asked referring to Chris.

“It’s been months since the restraining order came into action, and I haven’t heard a thing from him.” Saying the words out loud, realizing that you truly had gotten him out of your life, only made you feel better. It had been a difficult time, but in the end, the court dates and having to face him again really had paid off.

“Good, I’m glad.” Briana said earnestly. She looked at you with a small smile. “Y/N, I’m sorry. Rob’s one of my best friends, and I just felt like you screwed him over and then reeled him back in with the fact that you were pregnant. I didn’t know the circumstances, and maybe I should have learned that before I treated you like crap.”

“It’s okay, I get it. Rob’s so wonderful, and you are all such a close family… I couldn’t expect any of you to be okay with all of this,” you placed your hand on your belly.

“Just so you know, you’re a lucky girl,” Briana continued, watching you as you rubbed circles on your stomach, “Rob’s going to be the best dad, I just know it.”

You smiled at her, “I know he is. He and I have been through a lot, I’ve put him through a lot… so I know just how lucky I am to still have him.”

“Okay, are we past all of this now?” cut in Kim who had grown impatient with Briana’s treatment of you, “Like, can we just all be happy for Y/N and Rob finally?” she questioned Briana who only chuckled.

“Yeah, we can all be happy for them now,” she said as she shook her head.

“See, Y/N?” Kim turned to you, “All you have to do is understand that you can talk to any of us about anything.”

“I know, and I’m getting better about it. I just… I don’t have family anymore, sometimes I forget how to act around one.”

“You do have a family,” Briana added. She had now moved closer to you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and pulling you into a hug. You felt your heart swell and the tears threatened to escape again. “You and Rob are starting yours… And you have the rest of us assholes that you have to accept as your new family, whether you like it or not.”

You laughed, beginning to sniffle at the overwhelming emotions you were feeling. It may not be a traditional family, but you realized that it was going to be all you needed. These people were going to be your family, and you couldn’t be happier about it.

* * *

You laid on the bed in you and Rob’s room that night. You had left the convention early while the cast hung out for autographs. Autographs were tedious, but you loved the way each of the actors took the time to talk to and interact with their fans. For you though, you couldn’t bear to hang around and watch. You had left Rob’s side while he sat down at his table, letting him know that you were just ready for bed. That had been a couple of hours ago.

You were unable to fall asleep though, only now realizing how difficult it was to not have Rob at your side. So, you waited for him.

You sat up in the bed expectantly when you heard someone fumbling with the door. Rob entered, looking exhausted.

“Hey, I thought you were going to sleep,” he said as he worked at removing his shoes.

“I was, but I couldn’t sleep without you here.”

He smiled at you, now shuffling through his luggage.

“Aw, you missed me?” he mused as he began to undress and change into pajamas. He finished changing and joined you in bed, snuggling up against you.

“How did everything go?” you asked.

“Good, I’m just beat,” he ran a hand through your hair and kissed you. “I had a weird experience with a fan though on my way back to the room. Wasn’t even during the convention.”

“Oh yeah? Don’t weird fan experiences happen a lot though?” you asked.

“Sometimes, but this one was extra weird.”

“What happened?” your curiosity was peaked now.

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable…” he replied. His demeanor suddenly changed. He seemed to be put off completely by whatever had happened.

“Why would I be uncomfortable?”

“Because, this guy approached me downstairs. He seemed nice enough; wanted a picture, told me he loved my band…” Rob trailed off, now staring up at the ceiling.

“Is that bad?”

“No, but then he started talking about… you.” Rob’s eyes found yours again. “He brought you up. Kept saying how lucky I was to be with you. I swear, this guy was a bigger fan of yours than he was of mine.”

“I didn’t realize I had fans,” you giggled. You found it sort of sweet that someone even knew who you were and was actually a fan of your work.

“Yeah, I was mostly interested in the fact that he knew you were my girlfriend.”

“There were pictures of us from Nashville,” you explained, “and I’m sure people noticed when we kissed at your show.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” he agreed, still seeming a bit uncomfortable.

He remained silent for a moment, as if he were planning his next words carefully.

“The really weird thing…” he finally said, “was that he congratulated me on the baby.”

Your head shot up at his words, “I didn’t realize people knew about it,” you said. You gave him a questioning stare. You had just barely announced your pregnancy to Rob’s closest friends. You couldn’t imagine that any of them would go out and announce it to anyone else. You wondered if your bump was really that noticeable.

“Yeah, me neither. Which is why it was weird,” you rested your head back on his chest as he played with your hair.

“Well, I guess people are going to know eventually,” you said, trying to figure out how this random guy knew.

“I just don’t feel like this guy was even a fan of mine. I mean, he obviously wasn’t here for the convention. He didn’t have a lanyard or wristband of anything. It was just… like he found me downstairs to talk about you.”

You chuckled again, “Fans do crazy things sometimes.”

“I guess you’re right,” Rob said after a moment. You moved closer to him, burying your face into his chest, just happy that he was there with you. Rob moved slightly, reaching for his phone next to him on the bed. “Just gotta check in with Twitter real quick,” he explained, “let the fans know that we had a great first day.”

You watched him as he typed quickly on his phone, sending out a tweet to his fans. It was something that he usually did, and you liked that he was so considerate of the people who came out to see him and his fellow Supernatural friends. He scrolled through his Twitter and you laid back down on his chest, closing your eyes as you realized how tired you were. Just as you felt yourself begin to drift off, Rob nudged you, startling you from your almost sleep.

“What?” you asked groggily.

“That guy I told you about… he tweeted the picture of us.”

“Oh?” you asked, feeling curious as to who your mystery fan was.

“Yeah, he just tagged me in it…” Rob fell silent for a second, “and he tagged you too.” You looked up at Rob who now had a look of confusion on his face. It was one thing to tag the celebrity in a photo that you took with them, it was quite another to tag said celebrity’s girlfriend in to too.

“Really? I don’t even look at my social media.” You reached up to pull Rob’s phone down to your eye-level. “I want to see who my number one fan is,” you said.

Rob tilted the screen so you could see the picture. The smile you had been wearing over the fact that you had such an enthusiastic fan quickly faded when your eyes adjusted to the bright screen. _It couldn’t be._ You felt your chest tighten and your heartbeat pick up. There was a knot forming in the back of your throat.

“Rob…” you choked out as tears began to fill your eyes, “no…”

Rob looked at you, worry evident on his face, “what Y/N?”

“Rob, that’s… that’s him,” you began to cry freely now. You head began to spin, nausea creeping up on you again.

Rob’s face paled at your words. He pulled the phone away from you, bringing it back to his line of vision to look at it again.

“Th-that’s Chris,” you stuttered out, not believing the words that were coming out of your own mouth.

“Are you serious?” he asked you, voice rising slightly. His expression was no longer that of shock. Now, he was angry.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Rob are shook by the run in that Rob has with Chris. Does the readers belief that her ex wouldn’t try anything stupid, and the fact that Rob makes it his mission to keep her safe… lead her into a false sense of security?

“Why is he doing this? Why is he coming near you in the first place, Y/N” Rob asked, voice rising. You hadn’t seen him this upset since your fight. Although, his anger wasn’t directed toward you, you couldn’t help but start to feel uncomfortable again.

“I-I don’t know…” you stuttered. You were beginning to grow anxious at the idea of Chris being in the same hotel as you, and the fact that he was so blunt as to approach Rob in the first place. More so, you were terrified at the fact that he knew about the baby. Everything that you had been trying to avoid was suddenly coming in to play. Chris knew who Rob was, and he was no longer discouraged from making sure that you knew just how unafraid he was to continue to make your life hell.

“He’s breaking the restraining order, right?” Rob questioned. He was pacing the room now, seething at the audacity of Chris and his advances. “I mean, he can’t be at the same hotel as you… you have to call the police.”

“Rob, he wasn’t near me,” you cut in, “he came for you. He found you.” You began to cry again, tears streaming down your face as you realized that neither of you were safe, and you had put Rob in this position.

“Y/N, calm down,” Rob instructed, moving toward you and pulling you into an embrace. He rubbed his hand up and down your back, attempting to sooth you and stop your sobbing. “You can’t stress yourself out. Please, relax.”

“How can I relax?!” you cried out, “This is why I left before! I was afraid that he’d come for you, and he has.”

Rob continued to comfort you, “Y/N, he didn’t do anything to me. I’m fine,” he pulled back and cupped your face in his hands so that he could bring your face up to look at him, “see, I’m okay. He’s just trying to scare you.”

“Well, it’s working,” you choked out.

“He didn’t do anything to me. He’s trying to get to you, and he’s trying to piss me off. We need to report this, maybe him being in the same hotel as you is breaking the restraining order. Maybe him tagging you in that tweet is still considered contacting you, which he can’t be doing.” You couldn’t help but smile at Rob. He took it upon himself to become familiar with the restraining order, probably understanding it more that even you did.

The rest of your night consisted of a phone call to the police, to which not much was done. It was pointed out that it would be nearly impossible to track Chris down considering you weren’t even near home. After explaining your situation, you were advised to inform others who would be around you that weekend of Chris and the protective order. As long as security was aware that you had a protective order out, and they knew who to look for, it would be easier to catch him.

You ended the phone call feeling even more helpless than before. Of course, no one would be able to do anything. Chris was smart for following you to Chicago. Here, he would be difficult to find. However, it would be so easy for him to find you. The last thing you wanted was for anyone else to know about your situation. Now, Rob was adamant about making sure that everyone understood that you had an order against Chris, and that you needed to be protected from him.

Pacing the room again, Rob spoke mostly to himself about who needed to know and what could be done to keep you safe.

“We’ll make sure security knows, we can show them a picture of him… you have a copy of the restraining order with you, right?”

“Of course,” you whispered. You knew that it was important to have it with you at all times.

“Good, it probably wouldn’t hurt to tell everyone else. Rich, Matt, the band, everyone…” Rob continued.

“Rob, please,” you begged, “I don’t need the whole world knowing my business. Especially not something like this.”

Rob turned toward you, “Y/N, to keep you safe, people need to know.”

“Well, don’t I get a say in this? I mean, this is about me…” You were feeling slightly annoyed that Rob was taking control of the situation and not asking you for your input.

“No, it’s not all about you.” Rob furrowed his brow in response.

“I know. I know he found you.”

“That’s not what I meant. Don’t worry about me.”

“So, I get to decide who knows? Even if that means only security?”

“No, because it’s not just about you… we have a baby to think of.”

You lowered your head at Rob’s words. You knew that you had the baby to think of. The realization that if you were in danger, then so was the baby; it was all too much to think about. You made yourself sick just coming to terms with that.

“I know, Rob,” you said, “you’re right. I hate to bring anyone else into this… but if it means I can protect you, and our baby… then, fine. We’ll deal with it in the morning.”

Rob made his way back to you, crawling into the bed so that he was lying next to you. You laid down as he did, allowing him to wrap his arm around you. You nestled into him, feeling safe for the moment.

“Okay, we’ll talk to everyone in the morning,” he explained, placing a kiss to your temple, “you need rest. I don’t want you to make yourself sick over all of this. Know that I’m going to do what I can to protect you.” He moved his hand under your shirt so that he could touch your belly with those last words, rubbing circles along your skin.

“Thank you,” you muttered as Rob’s lips found yours. He kissed you before pulling you in to his side and you laid your head against his chest.

* * *

Although sleep had found you easily that night, you realized that it had been a restless one for you and Rob. The next morning, you both woke feeling exhausted and groggy. You thought about sleeping in since it was the first day of the con and Rob would be working anyway. But, when you pulled the blankets over your head as Rob climbed out of bed, he leaned down to nudge you anyway.

“Come on, Y/N. We gotta get going,” he said sleepily.

“You’ve got to get going,” you corrected him, “let me sleep in.”

“No, come on,” he urged. He pulled the blanket off your face and you glared up at him.

“I’ll just head down later, please!” you begged. You gave him your best pleading face, but it wasn’t working on him today.

“I’d rather you not,” he gave you a frown, indicating that he didn’t feel comfortable with you walking down to the convention on your own. You realized that he’d rather not have you be alone at all. You had to admit, protective Rob was really endearing. So, you decided against arguing with him and dragged yourself out of bed.

The two of you moved slowly and quietly; showering and getting ready for the day. The mood was still tense from the night before and you couldn’t tell if Rob was just tired or still thinking about his run-in with Chris that he had been unaware of at first.

“Are you okay?” you asked Rob as you sat on the edge of the bed, watching him work at putting on his shoes from the couch.

“I’m fine, just tired,” he replied.

“What are you thinking?” The tense air in the room had become too much for you. You desperately wanted to know what was going on in his mind. You were sure that it was just a combination of Chris coming back into the picture, the stress that Rob was feeling over not having realized it was Chris, and the fact that he now knew about the baby.

Rob let out a sigh as he tied the laces on his shoe, “I’m just thinking about how I’m going to keep you close to me the rest of the weekend, to make sure you’re not out of my sight.”

“You don’t have to do that,” you replied, “I’ll spend most of my time in the greenroom. Make sure security doesn’t let anyone in.”

“You’re right.” Rob stood up now, pocketing his phone and wallet. You stood as well, waiting for him to direct you out of the room. “I just… I just want you close to me. I want to know where you are at all times.”

“It’ll be okay,” you said, trying to promise him that there was nothing to worry about. Even you didn’t completely believe your own words. “He wouldn’t be stupid enough to show his face at the convention. Hell, he probably won’t even try to come near me. I really think that he just showed up and talked you into taking that picture so that he could scare me. I honestly don’t think he’d be dumb enough to get himself into trouble over me.”

“I hope you’re right. But, for now, let me be the overprotective boyfriend, please. I’d rather be safe than sorry,” he gave you a pleading look, hoping you would just let him take care of you.

“Fair enough,” you smiled lightly at him as he approached you, taking your hand in his and leading you to the door. For once in your life, you felt okay with having a boyfriend who wanted to know where you were at all times. You knew Rob was only concerned and protective, and you couldn’t help but feel happy knowing that for once in your life, you had someone who wanted to keep you safe.

* * *

Once inside the greenroom, Rob made quick work of cluing security into the situation. You stood back as he explained the protective order and showing the crew a photo of Chris. They understood that no one was allowed in the area unauthorized anyway, but at least they knew what he looked like if he was stupid enough to show his face. You only watched. Not really knowing what else to do. A part of you felt like a burden. It really wasn’t anyone’s job to protect you, especially not here. These people had enough to do, watching out for the actual talent of the convention, the last thing they needed was to be looking out for someone’s girlfriend. You drew your attention to the door upon hearing it open and noticed Rich entering the room. He walked toward you, his eyes focused on Rob and his intense discussion with the security team.

“Looks serious,” Rich stated as he stopped in front of you.

“Yeah, Rob thinks so anyway.” You faced Rich, giving him a smile.

“What’s going on?”

“Oh, just some drama that I seem to be dragging everyone into lately.”

Rich gave you a look, urging you to continue.

“My ex, the one that I have a protective order against…” you bit your lip, not really sure how to explain it to him, “he showed up here yesterday.”

“Oh?” Rich gave you a questioning stare, eyebrows furrowed.

“Yeah, thought it’d be a good idea to ask Rob for a picture, because Rob’s never seen him before,” you pulled your phone out of your pocket, pulling up the twitter app, you scrolled through to try to find the picture. When you finally did find it, your stomach churned just looking at it. You help your phone up to Rich so that he could see.

“That’s the guy?” Rich asked, studying the photo.

“Yeah, he actually approached Rob, acting like a fan. Then he posted this and tagged me and Rob in it. I’m not sure what he’s trying to do, but Rob’s really freaked out.”

“And you’re not?” Rich turned his attention back to you.

“Sure, I am…” you began, “but I don’t think he’d be stupid enough to actually try to come near me. I think he was just trying to scare me. And it worked, I was sufficiently scared. But, the police recommended that we let everyone know what’s going on… just in case he decides to show up here.”

Rich pursed his lips, “You know, I honestly didn’t know that you had a protective order against you ex. I’m not gonna ask about it, but I didn’t realize things were that bad.”

“Sorry,” you said, “I sometimes forget that not everyone knows about it. He’s a big part of why I left Rob in the first place. He’s just a bad guy, and I didn’t want Rob mixed up in all of that.”

“Wow, a lot of things are starting to make sense now,” Rich turned away, glancing at Rob who had now moved on from the security crew and was now in a deep discussion with Billy, Mike, and Stephen.

You sighed heavily as your eyes followed Rich’s to where Rob stood.

“The last thing I ever wanted was for him to be in this mess,” you said out loud.

Rich turned back to you, “well, he was going to be regardless. That man was a mess after all of that. He mentioned a bit about your ex… not enough to lead me to believe you were in any kind of danger, but he was always going to win you back.”

You moved closer to Rich, wrapping an arm around his waist. He moved an arm across your shoulders, pulling you in for a hug.

“And I’m glad he did. I couldn’t imagine my life without him. I just wish the circumstances were different.”

“I know, kiddo. But, look at him,” Rich pointed to Rob who was still talking with the guys, “he’s pretty serious about keeping you safe apparently.”

“Yeah, he is… and the baby,” you added.

Rich glanced at you, a smirk forming on his lips, “that too,” he laughed, “forgive me, it’s gonna take me some time to get used to the idea of a baby Benedict.” You both laughed and he squeezed your shoulder. “Hey, you know that we’ve all got your back too, right?”

“Really? Thank you Rich,” you shook your head at him, a bit overwhelmed at how kind he was being. You had to admit, Rich had quickly become one of your favorite people. He had been there, sort of awkwardly, when you and Rob first began to fall in love. You knew the flirting had been all in good fun, and he really was happy that you and Rob were together. After all, the man was happily married. Rich had also been the one to help you out during a scary incident. When you didn’t think you could turn to Rob out of fear that he hated you, you found it fairly comfortable to turn to Rich, and Rich had helped you out without question.

“You’re stuck with us now,” he continued, referring to Rob’s tight-knit group of friends, “whether you like it or not.”

You looked at each other, neither of you noticing Rob approach you until he spoke.

“Everything okay here?” Rob asked, looking confused.

“We were just having a moment, if you don’t mind,” Rich said, arm still draped around your shoulders as he turned to Rob. Rob scrunched his face in annoyance.

“A moment?” he asked, unsure of what that meant.

“I was just telling her that things were never going to work between us, but we can still be friends. Maybe even makeout a little in the janitors closet when you’re not around,” Rich joked. His joke caused Rob’s face to turn red, now he was more annoyed than usual.

“You such an ass,” Rob pouted, looking at you for help. You laughed at him and elbowed Rich in the side, letting him know that the joke was in poor taste.

“Ow!” Rich shouted, “you better not get that feisty later on.”

You rolled your eyes and laughed again, moving away from Rich so you could hug Rob. Rob returned the hug, holding you tight. You couldn’t help but feel really loved in this moment. Not only did you have Rob, but you felt that you had his friends caring for you at the same time.

“Anyway,” Rob changed the subject, “I let the band know, and security, I guess I should let this guy know.”

“No need, Robbie,” Rich held up a hand to stop him, “the lady already explained. I am on high alert, and I’ll definitely be looking out for her.”

“Thanks Rich,” Rob said earnestly.

Just then, a volunteer entered the room, letting the band and Rich know that they were needed onstage as the con was about to begin.

“You’ll be okay?” Rob asked, now looking worried. He kissed the top of your head, arms still wrapped tight around you.

“I’ll be fine, I’ll stay right here.” You pulled back to look at him, smiling to let him know you were okay.

“Okay,” he said, “the girls should be showing up any time, they’ve got panels today.”

“Yeah, I’ll talk to them too.” You knew what he was getting at. Nothing was more important to him right now than making sure everyone understood the situation. You tried your best to comfort him, letting him know that you were also looking out for yourself.

“Good, I’ll see you in a bit,” he gave you a quick kiss before heading towards the door.

The room had cleared, leaving you alone for the time being, so you plopped onto the couch to make yourself comfortable. You laid there, closing your eyes, hoping that you might be able to catch up on some sleep. For a brief moment, you found yourself beginning to feel afraid again, being there all alone. But you knew that you had security aware of the situation. You glanced toward the door, reminding yourself that no one was coming into this room who wasn’t allowed to be there. You were safe here. As long as you had Rob doing all that he could to protect you, Chris wasn’t going to come near you. You played the words in your head again and again. Sure, you had been playing it fairly cool, sort of convinced that you were right. But, another part of you wasn’t so sure. Chris had done some pretty surprising things lately. Things that even you hadn’t seen coming. But, you had to hold on to that belief that this would all end soon and you and Rob could go on just being happy together. Eventually, you thought, Chris had to give up. Feeling yourself relax a little, you closed your eyes again and drifted off to sleep.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The stress of realizing that her ex is close by begins to weigh on the reader. Rob becomes very protective, which leaves the reader feeling overwhelmed. Now, she may have put herself into a very serious situation.

When you woke again, it was due to the sudden sound of a booming voice filling the room. You opened your eyes and shifted your attention to the place where the sound was coming from. You smiled to yourself when you recognized the unmistakable sound of Briana talking and laughing loudly as she, Kim, and Ruth came into the greenroom. You continued to lie there for a moment, wanting to sit up and greet the women; but the nausea that you suddenly felt made it difficult. You let out a groan as a sharp pain coursed through your head. You were certain that the constant pain and nausea you were experiencing was never going to end. Yes, you had managed to go a few weeks without any incidents, but you suddenly realized that you may have skipped a meal today. After taking a moment to regain yourself, you hesitantly sat up. The pain in your head worsened and your stomach turned, causing you to make a mental note to listen to your doctor when she tells you not to skip a meal.

The three women approached you when they noticed you sitting there on the couch; your fingertips massaging into your temples in an effort to chase away the headache that was building.

“Y/N, are you okay?” you heard Briana ask, worry filling her voice.

“No,” you replied honestly, head still held firmly between your hands. You felt terrible, and you knew it was only going to get worse if you didn’t stop it in its tracks. You felt a wave of nausea come over you, but you fought hard to hold it back. The girls must have sensed your distress, because Ruth spoke up.

“I’m going to go get Rob,” she stated as she headed for the door.

“Please, don’t,” you said softly, holding a hand up to stop her. “I just need something to eat.”

You finally lifted your head, acknowledging the women standing around you. You watched as Ruth headed in the opposite direction toward the food tables to try to find you something to eat. Kim sat next to you and you felt her hand on your back, rubbing circles along your shoulder blades, attempting to sooth you. It felt nice to have someone comfort you right now, especially when you were suddenly feeling so sick. However, her attempt wasn’t very useful as you felt the nausea begin to grow, head pounding suddenly. By the time Ruth returned with a bottle of water and a small plate piled with food, it was too late.

“I’m gonna be sick,” you managed to choke out before you realized you couldn’t hold back any longer. Almost as soon as you said the words; Briana had moved to the wall, grabbing the small trashcan, and made her way back to you. As soon as she was there with the trashcan in front of you, you began to vomit. You let yourself be sick until there was nothing left, Kim still rubbing circles along your back.

“Fuck,” you breathed out when you were finished. You mentally kicked yourself for having let yourself forget a meal. You knew that this just meant you were going to continue to be sick unless you could do something to stop it now. You grabbed the water bottle that Ruth was now holding out to you and hesitantly took a drink. You remembered how you hadn’t been able to even drink water when your morning sickness got bad. Although you suddenly felt miserable, you also started to pick at the plate of food Ruth had brought. You forced yourself to eat some crackers and pieces of fruit, praying that they would just stay down.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Briana asked, moving the trashcan away with a disgusted look on her face.

“Where’s my bag?” you asked, ignoring her question. “It’s got my medicine in it.” You felt yourself become frantic now, trying to do what you could to avoid feeling worse. Kim reached across the coffee table, grabbing you bag and handing it to you. You rustled through its contents until you found what you needed and you quickly downed one of the pills.

“What the hell?” said Kim, looking a bit shocked, “now your popping pills?”

You glared at her, your head still pounding. “No, they’re to help with the nausea.”

“Jesus, I don’t remember ever having to take pills when I had morning sickness,” Briana said.

“Well, unfortunately for me, I don’t have normal morning sickness,” you explained, “I just hope I caught it in time.” You continued to eat small bites from the food that Ruth had brought. “I told you I was in the hospital at one point… well, that’s because my morning sickness has been bad enough to leave me dehydrated. I skipped a meal or two today, I need to listen to my doctor.” You rambled on for a moment, still feeling the pain in your head grow.

“You sure you don’t want Rob?” Ruth asked. She sat on the other side of you, adding her hand to your back.

“I’m fine,” you lied, “I just really don’t feel well right now.” You found yourself unable to continue to eat; instead, you returned to rubbing your temples with your fingertips. You felt tears begin to well up in your eyes, realizing that you couldn’t stop this horrible feeling. When you began to sob quietly, Ruth stopped asking if you needed Rob. She stood up and headed for the door regardless of your pleas for her to not bother him.

“What is going on?” Kim asked quietly.

“I just missed some meals,” you cried, tears stinging your cheeks, “and I didn’t sleep well, and the stress from last night… it probably didn’t help. I’m just so scared and I know all of that is making me feel worse…” you tried to explain the best you could, but you stopped when the pain in your head became too much and it was now hard to focus.

“What stress? What happened?” Briana questioned you. You looked up at her as she was still standing in her same spot.

“Chris…” it was the only thing you could manage to say. You felt Kim grab onto your hand, her grip tight. You knew that she understood that if it involved your ex, it was something serious. Kim and Briana remained quiet, not wanting to force you to talk to them. It wouldn’t have been any use anyway, as you continued to sob into your hands, still unable to shake how terrible you felt. You were lying when you had insisted that you didn’t need Rob, and you felt grateful for Ruth’s persistence in the matter. You knew Rob couldn’t really do much to help, but just having him near you would help you relax more. The three of you waited and Briana eventually sat next to you on the couch, rubbing her hand on your back where Kim’s hand had been. Despite how bad you felt right now, you really were so thankful to have these ladies in your life.

Not long after Ruth had exited the room, she returned with Rob right at her heels. You glanced up as he entered the room, suddenly feeling a sense of relief upon seeing him. He was focused on you, mouth turned down into a disapproving frown, and he moved quickly toward you. Kim and Briana stood as Rob approached you, giving him space to check on you. Within seconds, he was knelt down in front of you, hands smoothing your hair from your face. You tried to focus on his eyes, your head still aching, as he gently cupped your face in his hands.

“Y/N, what’s wrong sweetie?” His voice was hushed as he realized you were in pain.

“I- I should have stuck to the schedule,” you stuttered out, “I made myself sick.”

Rob tilted his head and let out a sigh, “this is my fault,” he ran his thumb against your cheek, worry overcoming his face, “I should’ve made sure you were taken care of before I went out there.”

“It’s not your fault. I just… I fell asleep for a couple of hours and I didn’t have lunch.”

He let out another frustrated sigh, “You were just so tired, I didn’t want to wake you when I came in during breaks…”

You cried harder now, feeling your stomach turn again. Instead of vocalizing the fact that you were going to be sick again, you raised a hand to Briana. She understood quickly and grabbed the trashcan, placing it in front of you again. When you finished being sick, Rob removed the trashcan again and returned to his original position in front of you, stroking your hair, trying to calm you.

“Do we need to go to the emergency room?” He asked, a hint of distress in his bright blue eyes.

“No, not unless I can’t stop getting sick.” You reached for the bottle of water and forced yourself to drink as much of it as you could. You knew the key here was to make sure you stayed hydrated. Not being able to hold anything down was what would get you into trouble.

“What do you need?” Rob asked.

“Just give me a minute…” you replied. You reach for your medicine and took another pill, knowing that the first one you had taken was useless by now. After chasing it down with the rest of the water, you moved to recline back onto the couch. You laid against the armrest and closed your eyes, now feeling Rob’s hand intertwine with your own. You knew you just needed to rest. You needed to focus on how you were feeling and hope that you could will yourself out of the nausea and pain.

You vaguely heard someone else enter the room. Fortunately, they didn’t come in as loudly as possible, which most of these people had the tendency to do.

“Hey, what’s going on?” You heard Rich’s voice come out quietly, questioning the situation that he had stumbled upon.

“Y/N…” Rob started, squeezing you hand, “she’s just not feeling well.”

“Oh man,” Rich exclaimed. You heard him huff, obviously concerned. “Do we gotta go to the hospital? I don’t know if I can handle seeing her like that again.” You recalled that Rich had been the one to take you to the emergency room the first time your sickness was a concern. You hadn’t realized it at the time, but the whole experience had made him a mess. Rob had relayed to you later on just how worried Rich had been. The poor man felt useless and afraid seeing you there in the ER, hooked up to machines and crying over how much pain you were in. However, right now, you weren’t able to offer him any type of comfort. You could only focus on how you were feeling and the headache left you unable to form words anymore.

“I don’t know,” Rob said. You felt his hand play in your hair and you sighed at the sensation. Something about him just being there with you made you feel safer. “We’ll just give her some time. But I swear, if you throw up one more time, we’re going.” You assumed these words were aimed at you and you tried to grin at him. You really enjoyed protective Rob, even if you weren’t feeling so great.

* * *

You weren’t sure how long you stayed like that; miserable on the couch as Rob touched you and kissed your forehead, attempting to bring you as much comfort as possible. You also weren’t sure as to the point you drifted off into another uneasy sleep. You did remember opening your eyes, feeling as though hours had passed. You took a moment to collect yourself. There was still a dull ache in your head, but the pain that you had felt earlier had definitely eased up. You also noticed that you no longer felt sick, and you hoped that this wouldn’t change once you were up and moving. Rob was no longer as your side, holding your hand. You opened your eyes again, feeling a wave of relief when direct light hitting your eyes no longer made you want to cry.

“Hey baby,” you heard Rob’s voice. You averted your eyes up to the sound, greeted by Rob’s face directly above your own. You realized that he had moved so that he was sitting on the couch, cradling your head in his lap. You smiled weakly at him. “How are you feeling now?”

“Better,” you replied. Sure, there was still an ache in your head, but overall, you really did feel better.

“Good, I’m so glad,” he ran a hand through your hair again, “you slept for a few hours,” he stated.

“Rob, I didn’t make you miss anything, did I?” you whined, feeling bad that you may have kept him from what he was supposed to be doing here in the first place.

“Nah, I was able to come and go. I did intros and then just came back to you. Luckily, everyone here helped look after you.”

“I’m not a baby,” you said sarcastically, “you don’t have to make your friends watch out for me over every little thing.” It was nice to have people looking out for you, but it wasn’t something you were used to. The idea of anyone dropping whatever it was that they were doing to check in on you was kind of a lot to take in. You hated being a burden. You already felt like one the minute Rob decided to make sure everyone knew about the situation with Chris, and now you felt like a bigger problem just by being sick.

“Hmm,” Rob hummed calmly, “no, you’re not. But that’s my baby in there and I’ll do what I have to do to make sure you’re both okay.”

There was no use in arguing at this point, and to be honest, you weren’t really up for it anyway.

“You need anything?” Rob asked.

“Yes, I really need to go back to my own room so I can sleep in my own bed. I’m still so tired, and my head aches a bit.”

Rob frowned at your request, “Y/N, I’ve still got some stuff to do here, I’d rather you not go back to the room alone.”

“Please,” you begged him, turning on as much charm as you could muster, “it’s just so noisy down here, and I think these lights are making my headache worse. I just want some actual sleep.”

“I don’t want you to be alone,” he rebutted. You glared at him, realizing that he wasn’t going to give in so easily. You let out a long sigh, turning your head from him.

You really did respect his need for protecting you, for protecting your baby… but the entire day had gone on without a hitch. No word about Chris, nothing. You had convinced yourself that he had shown up, made the ballsy move to take that picture with Rob and post it, just to scare you. You really felt like he wouldn’t be stupid enough to come near you, especially with a restraining order out against him. Chris may be one to do stupid things, but he wasn’t a complete idiot, not when it was his own neck on the line. At this point, Rob’s insistence on keeping his sights on you was becoming annoying. Maybe it was just the fact that you didn’t feel well and really wanted a decent sleep, but you found yourself waiting for Rob to be forced back into the theater to do another intro or something.

You laid there, head still resting in Rob’s lap. Neither of you spoke anymore and you were sure Rob could feel the tension building. You were grumpy to say the least, and he was smart enough to avoid making it worse, so he kept quiet.

A few minutes later, your prayers were answered as a handler came to let Rob, Rich, and the band know that they were due on stage soon. You sat up so that Rob could stand, his hand resting on your arm as he did so.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he promised, “please, just try to rest here.”

You nodded, not vocalizing your understanding. You watched him as he and the other guys left the greenroom, giving it a moment so that you were sure they were gone. You stood up finally and reached for your bag.

“Are you leaving?” Kim asked from the other side of the room. You glanced over to her, hoping that she wasn’t going to try to stop you. You just needed to be away from this room, away from all the people. You just wanted sleep.

“Uh, yeah,” you stuttered, “I just need to sleep in a real bed. Let Rob know I just headed back to the room?”

Kim nodded, “okay, hope you feel better Y/N.”

Your heart stopped pounding when you realized that she wasn’t going to try to stop you. Perhaps Rob hadn’t gotten to her yet when it came to making sure everyone and their mom knew that you were to be watched at all times. You smiled at her and said goodbye as you quickly left the room. 

* * *

The hallway was oddly quiet. You stood for a second, shifting uncomfortably in your spot. It was a bit unusual for the area to be completely empty, aside from the few volunteers sitting at tables. You tried not to think about the fact that Chris could still very well be around, you tried to convince yourself that the thought of him still being there wasn’t making you uncomfortable. You started walking down the hall, heading toward the elevators. Just the thought of sleeping in your bed made you feel better, you decided that you could deal with the repercussions that were sure to come when Rob found out you had left alone without him knowing.

As you walked, you still couldn’t shake the feeling of discomfort. Literally no one was around the further down the hall you got. You suddenly felt very vulnerable. What if you were wrong? What if you weren’t as safe as you had convinced yourself you’d be? You stopped in your tracks, looking down the hallway at the elevators that you had been making your way to. A sense of guilt washed over you. You really should listen to Rob. You thought for a moment as you stood there; halfway between the green room and your intended destination. The idea of a big, cozy bed lured you in; but at the same time, realizing that you were going against Rob’s wishes made you think twice.

You sighed heavily, knowing that you couldn’t do that to him. You couldn’t stand the thought of him worrying over you. So, you spun around, realizing that you just needed to go back. You needed to go back and wait for him. As you did so, your breath caught when you realized that you were no longer the only one in the hallway. Before anything could register, you honestly thought Rob had followed you and you’d be greeted with his disapproving look at the fact you had bailed on him. When your brain finally caught up with your movements, you realized that it was not Rob standing behind you. Instead, you were staring into the face of Chris, his lips turned up into a frightening grin. Your heart began to beat fast and you wanted to run. Still feeling weak, you knew you couldn’t outrun him though. So, you stood there; Chris just a few feet from you, and you waited.

“Y/N, look at you,” Chris spoke first as he eyed you. His eyes fell on your stomach and you quickly placed your hands over it in a protective manner. “It’s been a while.” His eyes found yours again when he finished looking you over.

“Please…” you heard yourself say. You suddenly felt very afraid and you were already scolding yourself for not listening to Rob in the first place.

“Please, what?” Chris asked, taking a step toward you. You matched his movement and stepped back from him.

“Why can’t you just leave me alone?” you cried, tears forming in your eyes again, “why won’t you leave us alone?”

Chris narrowed his eyes at you. “Don’t be stupid. You know it’s because I miss you so much.”

You shook your head in disbelief, stepping back again as he made another movement toward you.

“I met him, you know?” Chris stated, “seems like a nice enough guy… what a shame you had to get him all mixed up in our mess.”

“No,” you said, “there’s no us. We are over and we’ve been over. You’re breaking the restraining order…”

“Yeah, you know…” Chris cut you off, “I really didn’t appreciate that. Especially when we’re apparently having a baby.”

“You’re disgusting,” you spat at him. You felt your face flush in anger. “You know damn well this isn’t your baby.”

“Well, I know that,” he smirked, “but who’s to say I can’t convince your new guy that you may have lied to him?”

“Please, just leave me alone,” you begged, feeling defeated now.

“I could… leave you alone,” he stepped toward you again, and you still kept up with his movements, “it would make everyone’s lives so much easier…”

You stopped suddenly when you realized that you had been backed into a wall, Chris still moving toward you, that same grin plastered on his face.

“But, I figured… you’re already going to report this. After all, I’m breaking that restraining order. I might as well make it worth it.”

You braced yourself, not really sure what he was going to do. You stared at him as he drew in closer, his face nearly flush with your own.

“Why?” you whispered. You had tried to sound brave, but the word came out broken, defeated.

Suddenly, Chris grabbed you by the arm. You felt his grip tighten on your skin and you tried not to cry out from the pain.

“I really didn’t give a shit that you decided you were done when I cut you loose. I really didn’t… but then I found out you were with someone else… and it just made me so mad.”

“You have no right to be mad,” you stated, “you left. Not me.”

He cocked his head at you, that smirk returning to his face. He let go of your arm and you let out a breath of relief until his hand suddenly clasped around your neck. You gasped in shock as he pushed you harder against the wall. Normally, in instances like this; your first action would be to protect yourself. Usually, you would put your hands over your face and hope you could block whatever blows he was going to throw at you. This time however, your hands immediately moved to cover your belly. You were sure it was your motherly instincts kicking in, and your first thought was of your baby. Chris continued to hold you there, hand firm against your neck; not hard enough so that you couldn’t breathe, but hard enough to scare you. The smirk was gone from his face and he was now eyeing you again, eyes filled with rage. You kept your hands over your belly, doing all you could to keep him away from it.

“What do you want?” you cried out before you felt his grip around your neck tighten.

“I want…” he began, “to make it very clear that I am done with people thinking it’s okay to touch my things.” You felt your stomach churn at his words. It was happening all over again, he was trying to remind you that he thought of you only as property. He didn’t really care about you, but just the idea of you moving on from him was enough to make him crazy.

You squirmed beneath him as his body pushed flush against your own.

“I want… you to drop that fucking restraining order and come back to me.” He growled. His face was so close to yours and you were afraid. He suddenly brought his other hand up, forming a fist. You still didn’t move your hands from your belly. Instead, you closed your eyes and braced yourself for the impact, knowing that it was coming. You jumped as his fist met the wall next to your head. Your eyes shot open, wondering what had just happened. You could tell he was angry, and for some reason, he was holding back. Maybe he really was concerned with actually hitting you in a public space.

“No,” you said, shakily. You realized that his grip on you was starting to make it difficult to breathe. You struggled against him, trying to work your way out of his hand. “What are you going to do?” you asked. “You going to continue this? End up in jail for going against the restraining order?” You hoped that reminding him of the consequences of following you, harassing you, and now assaulting you would knock some sense into him. Maybe a felony wasn’t worth it to him.

“Oh, I know what I’m doing. It has been my goal to finally get you like this. And, I’ve still got your new guy to deal with… and, like I said, I’ve already come this far…” he replied, grip tightening around your throat.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader finds herself in a dangerous situation. Will help find her? Or will she have to get out of this one on her own?

You continued to squirm, attempting to move yourself from Chris’ grip on you, but nothing worked. It wasn’t until you realized that it was becoming more difficult to breathe that you began to quickly think about your options in this situation. You darted your eyes around the hallway, hoping that someone may have finally appeared, but you were still alone. When you decided that no one was coming along to help you, you had to make a decision. You weren’t sure if attempting to fight back would work out well for you. Chris was much larger than you, an attempt at fighting back would mostly likely only make him angrier, and would probably end up with him hurting you even more.

Lost in your thoughts, still trying to decide on your next move, you heard the faint sound of someone shouting from a distance. You moved your eyes to the direction of the voice and your eyes focused on what seemed to be Kim rushing down the hall. As she drew closer, you could distinctly hear her shouting for Chris to stop. You glanced back toward Chris, who still had you pinned against the wall. He was distracted by Kim, head still turned, watching her as she ran toward you. 

You mustered the last ounce of energy that you had, knowing that this might be the only way to get him to stop. You braced yourself, bringing your leg back as far as you could, before quickly forcing your knee upwards between his legs. You weren’t sure if you had enough strength to make it painful, you only hoped the movement would cause him to loosen his grip on you. Luckily, the adrenaline coursing through you in that moment was enough to add some strength to your assault. You felt his hand release your neck and he cried out, collapsing onto his knees in front of you. You gasped for air when your throat had finally been freed. You wanted to move away, run from him, even as he kneeled on the floor while cursing and moaning in pain. You could only lean back against the wall, trying to steady your breathing. Your legs wouldn’t work and they felt like jelly beneath you, all you could do was hold yourself against the wall as you paid attention to how weak your body felt.

Kim had made her way to you just as Chris had gone down. Instead of going right to you, she approached him, bringing her arm back and clenching her hand into a fist before bringing it down on Chris’ face with a loud pop. You flinched as she hit him, and he cried out again, this time falling to his back on the floor. Your mouth fell open in shock as you looked directly at Kim who was now shaking her hand, the expression on her face indicating that the impact had not only hurt Chris, but her as well.

“Kim!” you managed to gasp. She moved toward you, pulling you into an embrace.

“Y/N!” Kim cried out, “What were you thinking?” You felt a rush of shame wash over you at her words, knowing that you should have listened to Rob in the first place.

“I-I wasn’t thinking…” you sputtered, now beginning to cry again.

Kim reached into her pocket, pulling out her phone. You listened intently as she called for help, embarrassment evident on your face when you realized the police would be involved in this soon. As she made the phone call, you remained where you were, watching Chris as he sobbed on the floor. You worried that he might recover and get back up. It wasn’t until you saw more people approaching the area that you started to feel a little safer. Looking down the hallway, you noticed Rob and Rich hurrying in your direction, followed by what looked like security. You hung your head, knowing that you would have to face Rob who was most likely going to be angry that you had ignored him.

“What…?” Rob tried to speak, fear filling his eyes as he tried to gauge the situation that he had stumbled across. His eyes darted from you to Chris lying on the ground.

“I’m so sorry, Rob,” you cried, choking on your own tears, “I just wanted to go back to the room. I should have listened to you…”

At this point, Chris had begun to recover. He returned to his knees, looking at you menacingly before focusing on Rob.

“You’re such an idiot,” Chris said, still staring Rob down, “she’s got you fooled, you know that?”

Rob narrowed his brows, “what the hell are you talking about?”

“That’s not even your baby.” You felt your heart stop at his words. Your face began to flush again as anger coursed through you. You made a short movement toward him, fully willing to hit him as his accusations. The last thing you needed was for him to try to convince Rob that your baby wasn’t his. Of course it was his, you knew that. You also knew that you had been away from Rob for so long, it was a miracle that he never even once questioned that the baby was his. Before you could even move close enough to hit Chris, Rob had beat you to it. Just as Kim had done a few moments ago, Rob pulled back before landing his fist in Chris’ face. This time, you heard a sickening crack, causing you to jump back. You immediately worried about Rob, and even the sudden rush of blood now pouring from Chris’ face wasn’t enough to keep you from checking on Rob. You rushed to him, pulling his face to yours.

“Ow!” Rob grimaced, cradling his hand against his chest, “that really fucking hurt!”

You moved your hands from his face, gently touching his hand to try to determine if he was badly hurt.

“I’m okay, Y/N,” Rob said, reaching his uninjured hand up to gently stroke your face, “are you okay?”

You nodded even though you could feel the pain in your arm and neck creeping up on you now that your adrenaline was beginning to subside. Your body still ached and felt weak, your headache still throbbing. Although you certainly didn’t feel okay, you knew that you were. Everything would be okay, it just had to be. Kim had showed up at just the right moment, giving you a chance to escape the situation. It could have gone much worse for you… in the past, it often had when Chris was angry.

You glanced around to your friends; Kim stood on one side of you, shielding you almost protectively. Rich remained next to the two security guards, staring down at Chris who was still lying on the ground, covering his face with his hands and whimpering. You hadn’t seen that look on Rich’s face before… you couldn’t remember a time when he looked so angry. No one made a move, even the security guards were there just to make sure that Chris didn’t try anything else. Everyone waited, knowing that help was on the way. From the looks of it, Chris was not going to make any attempt at even getting up off the floor.

“You broke my fucking nose!” Chris sputtered, looking right at Rob. His hands were covered in his own blood and the sight of him made you feel sick again. You grabbed onto Rob’s arm, fearful that Chris could still come at you. Rob wrapped an arm around your shoulders in response, pulling you in closer to him.

“You’ll be lucky if that’s the only thing that’s broken by the time the police show up,” Kim spat. You couldn’t help but feel grateful to her. Not only had she helped you out during a rough point in your life, but here she was, still defending you.

“Can we go now, please?” You begged Rob, looking into his eyes.

Arm still wrapped around your shoulders, Rob began to move you away from the scene. Instead of leading you toward the elevators like you wanted him to, he walked you to a bench against a wall in the same hallway. He eased you down to a sitting position on the bench where he sat next to you. You leaned your head against his shoulder, wishing that you could just leave. You wanted to go back to your room, away from all of this.

“We gotta stay here. At least until after the police show up.” You felt him kiss the top of your head and you sighed heavily. You nodded your understanding.

You sat like that for some time, neither of you talking. Rob just held you, moving his hand down so that he could rub your back. It was soothing really, something about his touch always calmed you. You didn’t feel as anxious even though Chris was still just a few feet from you. You began to wonder why Rob wasn’t yelling at you right now. You had been stupid for having left the safety of the greenroom alone. Sure, you just wanted the peace and quiet of your own room, especially after having been sick all afternoon. But, you knew you should have listened to him. You had a bad habit of not listening to him. He was being calm for now, but you were sure that you would hear about it after all of this was over with.

Finally, the police had arrived. After having the situation explained to them and you presenting them with a copy of the restraining order, they worked quickly at cuffing Chris and escorting him away from you. They took statements from everyone who had been there, took photos of your injuries, and explained that you needed to see a doctor just to make sure your injuries weren’t serious. You were finally left alone. Everything at that point had been a blur. You understood what needed to be done, but you so desperately wanted to leave before the hallways filled up with fans again and more attention was brought to you.

Although you had stated that you were physically okay, Rob insisted on taking you to the hospital like the officers had recommended.

“Let’s get going before the panel ends,” Rob stated, somehow realizing your concern in the moment. You followed him as he led you out of the hallway finally, Rich right behind the two of you. Kim had returned to the convention as she had autographs to do since it was the end of the day. You had asked her if she was okay after punching Chris, but she maintained that she was fine and that the temporary pain she would be feeling for a while was worth it.

Rich had quickly arranged for a ride to the hospital and the three of you rode in the car in silence. You were still trying to process exactly what had happened, mind racing with thoughts about how Rob was going to react once the two of you were finally alone. For now, he sat with you, holding your hand with his uninjured hand. The look of concern on his face was almost too much to handle. You had scared him, that’s for sure. More than anything, you felt extreme guilt over that.

At the hospital, the doctor looked you over as you explained everything to him.

“Well, it looks as if you’ll be okay. Expect some bruising on your arm and neck. You filed a police report?”

“Yes, I did. They just told me to get checked out.”

“I think you’ll be okay, let’s just make sure the baby is doing okay as well,” he put a hand over yours, attempting to help you relax.

You laid there through an ultrasound, relived when it was announced that everything was okay. You saw Rob smile from his seat in the chair next to you, which was a good thing considering he hadn’t said a word to you since you had arrived at the hospital. You knew he must be feeling a million different things right now. Relief, shock, anger toward you… there was no way he was going to let you off the hook for this. You just weren’t sure if you were ready to face him once you were alone.

“Now, let me check out that hand,” the doctor said to Rob as he put the ultrasound equipment away.

“It’s fine,” Rob insisted. You looked down at his hand. His knuckles had already begun to turn purple from the bruising.

“Well, just to be sure… you hit someone like that, you could’ve easily broken or fractured something,” the doctor moved to examine his hand. You watched him grimace in pain as the doctor poked and prodded. The doctor ordered an x-ray for Rob’s hand and you continued to lay in the bed as Rob had to leave the room. You hated when Rob had to leave you, and you suddenly felt very alone.

“He’ll be right back,” the doctor insisted, “just a quick x-ray. In the meantime, you just rest for a bit. I’ll let you both go once I’m sure you’re okay.”

The x-ray determined that Rob’s had was not broken. You breathed a sigh of relief over this. It was bad enough that he had definitely sprained some fingers, and would be unable to use his hand for a few weeks. The last thing you wanted was for him to be badly injured over your fuck up. The doctor worked at bracing the injured hand, wrapping it up with a bandage, while explaining to Rob that he had to try to not use the hand.

“Should be easy, considering it’s my dominant hand,” Rob joked. He still looked unamused as the doctor came back later with forms to release the both of you.

* * *

When you and Rob had finally returned to your room later that night, you felt a sense of relief wash over you. This was all you had wanted all day long. You quickly removed your shoes and headed for bed, wrapping yourself in blankets, pulling them over your head so that you couldn’t see Rob. You were still waiting for it. You were still waiting for the fight. You had deliberately ignored him, going against his wishes that were only meant to keep you safe. You moved a hand to your belly, stroking against the bump as you tried to come to terms with the fact that you had not only put yourself in danger, but you had put your baby in danger too. Still, you waited. You knew that Rob would have plenty to say about what you had done. Even after everything that the two of you had gone through, the idea of Rob being angry with you never did settle well. You cringed at the realization that he was eventually going to confront you, ask you why you had been so stupid to risk your life and your child’s life.

The fight that you were hiding from didn’t happen though. Instead, you heard Rob move from the door to the bed before feeling him climb in next to you. You kept your head covered by the blankets, afraid of facing him. Rob pulled the covers over himself, ducking his head beneath them so that you were face to face. You stared up at him ashamedly, still waiting. He moved his uninjured hand to your face, stroking his thumb along your lips. He offered you a small smile before moving his face closer so that he could bring his lips to yours. He kissed you softy and it took you a moment to kiss him back. You didn’t sense any tenseness to the situation. He didn’t seem angry and it didn’t appear as if he were going to yell at you. His lips on yours made you relax until you were less concerned about him yelling at you, but more concerned with how he must be feeling right now.

When he pulled back from the kiss, you decided to speak.

“I’m so sorry Rob…” you said softly, averting your eyes down as you still felt shame come over you.

“I know,” he replied, bringing his hand back up to stroke your face.

“I’m just waiting for it,” you continued, “I deserve to be yelled at for this, and I won’t blame you.”

Rob cupped your face with one hand, pulling it up so that you were forced to look him in the eyes again, “I’m not going to yell at you. I think we’ve learned that yelling at each other doesn’t help anything.”

“Then what?” you asked, “do you want to just ignore me? Remind me of what an idiot I am?”

“You’re not an idiot,” he said with a frown, “I know you were feeling terrible and you just wanted to get away from the convention. I shouldn’t have forced you to stay, not like that.”

“I should have listened to you…” You acknowledged that Rob was right, hell, he usually was.

“Yeah, you should have,” he chuckled, trying to lighten the mood, “I don’t want to be the crazy boyfriend that you feel you need to fight with over everything. I just want to protect you… I want to protect our son. I’m not going to yell at you for this, no matter how terrified I am about it, but I do want you to know that you scared the hell out of me. But, I’m sure you scared yourself too.”

“I did. I’m sorry for scaring you… and I’m sorry for what Chris said to you,” you recalled the moment Chris told Rob that your baby wasn’t his. Although it had been untrue, the fact that it even came up had been eating at you. You always wondered if Rob ever questioned it himself.

Rob shook his head at you, closing his eyes with frustration. “I know what he said, and that’s why I hit him. He was out of line and I know he was just trying to get to me.”

“Do you ever question it though? I’ve never asked, because I know this is your baby. I promise you, there was never anyone else…” you began to talk quickly, hoping that you could avoid any chance that he might not believe it.

“I’ve never questioned it Y/N,” he stated calmly, “because I know he’s mine.”

“It was always you,” you continued, “even when I left, it was you.”

“I know,” he kissed you, trying to calm you down. You had grown somewhat frantic now, trying to fix something that you thought Chris may had broken. You couldn’t handle the thought of Rob not trusting you again.

“I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you, I’m just… still learning how to tell the difference between someone protecting me and someone just telling me what to do.”

“I’m not trying to control you, or whatever else it is that you think I might be doing when I ask you not to do something. I ask these things and I do these things because I love you, and I want to keep you safe.”

“I love you too, and I know… I just… I’m trying to wrap my head around the fact that you’re only looking out for me. No one has ever looked out for me before.” You felt the tears well up again as you thought to yourself how nice it would be to go one day without crying. Everything had been such a mess lately. Even when you and Rob had really good days, something always happened to wreck your sense of joy. You wondered if the two of you would ever actually just be happy together.

Rob moved his hand to your neck, causing you to flinch slightly. He paused until you relaxed, you knew he wasn’t going to hurt you, but the movement was unexpected. When you had relaxed, he ran his fingers along your neck as he examined the damage. By the time you had left the hospital, the bruises were already forming.

“I’m so sorry this happened to you,” Rob whispered, still stroking along your skin, “I’m sorry any of this had to happen to you.”

“It’s not your fault,” you stated.

“I know it’s not, but no one deserves this… especially not you.” He moved to wrap his arms around you, pulling you in close to him. You sighed at the feeling of how your body fit with his, wanting him to never stop holding you. You had never felt so comfortable with anyone before.

“Are we ever going to just be okay?” you asked.

Rob put his hand on your belly, rubbing small circles along it. “I think so,” he responded, “after all, we’ve got this little guy who’s going to make us very happy. And, we need to look on the bright side now…”

“Is there a bright side to all of this?” You asked, raising a brow as you questioned whether anything good would come out of the situation.

“Sure there is,” he said, “obviously what happened was scary as hell and should have been avoided, but your ex just got himself into a shitload of trouble. I doubt we’ll be hearing from him for a while.”

You nestled your head into the crook of Rob’s neck, “You’re right. Hopefully he’ll go away for good. I just want to be happy with you, without my old life constantly coming between us.”

“Nothing is coming between us. I’m here, and I will never go anywhere, no matter what.” Rob kissed your forehead and you snuggled in closer to him.

You hoped he was right. You hoped that Chris was finally done with you. You hoped that you and Rob could finally just focus on being parents and being happy together. It was overwhelming sometimes, when you thought about how much you loved Rob. Despite everything you had put him through, he was never willing to give up on you. He fought for you during moments when no one else would have. That in itself had been enough to make you realize how deeply you cared for him. He was good to you, sometimes too good to you. You knew that you didn’t deserve a man like him sometimes.

“Should we just go home tomorrow?” Rob asked, now lazily running his hand through your hair.

“I don’t want you to have to do that,” you replied, “don’t do that to your fans.”

“Will you be okay?”

“I’ll be fine, especially now that we don’t have to worry for the moment.”

“Okay, we’ll just stay. I’ll finish up the convention, even though…” he paused as he moved away from you, lifting up his bandaged hand that had been resting beneath you, “I don’t think I’m playing guitar for the rest of the weekend.”

“Are you going to be okay?” you asked with a frown.

“I’ll be fine,” he chuckled, “it was worth it to get the opportunity to break his nose.”

You smiled at him, sort of pleased that you had a man willing to risk hurting himself just to defend your honor. You snuggled back against Rob as he wrapped his arm around you again.

* * *

The following morning, you really started to feel the aftermath of the incident from the day before. While your morning sickness had eased up significantly, you noticed that your body was achy and sore. You hadn’t felt this way in a long time. Rob was also feeling significant pain when he woke. The two of you struggled to get out of bed when his alarm went off. You managed to shower and get ready, feeling a bit excited for the day despite the pain you were in. For once, you could go to the convention, just be with Rob, without having to worry about Chris being there. You knew he was in jail, and for now, you really were safe. You sat at the desk to work on your makeup, a smile held firmly on your face. it wasn’t until you looked in the mirror that you finally noticed the bruises along your neck. Just the sight of the, the knowledge of where they came from, made your stomach turn. There was no way that you were going to go anywhere looking like this.

“You okay?” Rob asked sleepily as he stepped behind you. He leaned down, brushing his lips along the back of your neck.

“No,” you answered honestly, “look at me… I can’t let anyone see me like this.”

“You’re beautiful, but I understand. Let me see if we can’t do something,” Rob found his phone and quickly sent a text to someone, “I’m gonna see if Ruth can do something, she’s always got all kinds of accessories when we travel. She might have something to cover that up with.”

“Thank you,” you said as he moved back to you. You pulled his injured hand up to your face and placed a light kiss to his knuckles. He moved away to get back to getting dressed as you returned your focus to your makeup.

Shortly after Rob had sent the text, Ruth was at your door. You answered and invited her in, and she moved past you carrying a pile of stuff.

“Oh, dear…” Ruth muttered upon seeing you, “that looks horrible.”

“It was pretty horrible,” you responded, gently touching your neck where Chris had grabbed you.

“Kim told us,” she continued, “she just let us know what had happened. I hope that’s okay.”

“Yeah, it’s okay. I probably would have told you anyway.”

“Well, good on Kim for hitting the bastard. And, good job Rob for breaking his nose,” Ruth shouted the last part so that Rob could hear her as he was in the bathroom. You could both hear him laugh from where you were sitting.

“I’ve got some good people around me,” you smiled at her, letting her know that you appreciated all of them.

“Yeah, well, you’re good people too. Here, I always bring scarves with me, not that I wear them often, but you always have to be prepared.”

Ruth picked through the pile that she had brought, trying to find something that would match with the outfit you had put on. When she found one that she was pleased with, she helped you drape it around your neck, tying it until the bruised weren’t visible anymore.

“Thank you Ruth,” you said when you decided that it actually looked okay on you.

“Not a problem,” she said, “when you get down to the greenroom, me and the girls will see if we can’t do some makeup magic together to cover those up more.” Ruth shot you a wink as she collected the rest of her things and headed for the door. “we’ll see you down there soon,” she said as she left.

As Ruth left, you couldn’t help but feel uneasy. You knew you had nothing to worry about when it came to Chris, but maybe everything was finally catching up with you now. You realized that you didn’t want to return to the convention, not today anyway. Yes, you had managed to hide the bruised on your neck, but you weren’t sure if you could face everyone just yet. You felt the sudden anxiety begin to build and you really just wanted to be alone. You stopped working on your makeup, standing and making your way back to the bed while you removed the scarf and let it fall to the floor. You climbed into the bed, wrapping yourself in the blankets the same you had done last night.

You hear Rob return to the room, “Is everything okay?” he asked, probably referring to the fact that you were now back in bed, attempting to shut the world out.

“I’m okay,” you insisted from beneath the blanket, “I just… I don’t want to go with you right now.”

You felt Rob sit next to you on the bed. You heard him sigh as he placed a hand on your back.

“You want to stay here… alone?” he asked, a hint of disapproval in his voice.

“Yes, I do.” You pulled the blanket from your face to look at him, “I really do just want to be alone right now.”

Rob gave you that look again, the one that let you know that he was not comfortable with you being alone.

“It’s fine Rob,” you said, “I’m safe. I just really don’t think I can handle being around everyone right now, not after all of that.”

“Then I’ll stay here with you.” He moved to lie down next to you, but you held up a hand to stop him.

“No, I know how much you love working these conventions. We decided to stay so you could finish this one. Go,” you urged him, not wanting him to put his life on hold for you. You knew how much he enjoyed his job. You could recall many times where you had watched him and Rich joke on stage, laughing and having a good time. You thought about how he was when he was onstage, singing and playing music. You didn’t know if you had ever seen him happier than when he was performing. Plus, he enjoyed spending time with his friends and his fans. Convention time was important to him for those reasons, and you refused to take that away from him.

“I don’t want to leave you…” he whispered.

“I’m fine,” you stated again, “I’ll be fine. Yesterday was just a lot to take in, and I think I just need more rest.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!” you laughed at his persistence, “please, let me rest now that we don’t have anything to worry about.”

“Okay,” he said reluctantly, “but I’m ordering you room service before I go, and I’m going to be calling you and texting you nonstop, just so you know.”

You giggled at him. He really was adorable when he became protective. He did as he promised, ordering you food before he left, making sure to kiss you as he headed out the door.

You couldn’t tell if the sudden silence filling the room when he left was relaxing or unsettling. You hadn’t wanted to make a big deal out of it, but you insisted on Rob leaving you alone because you were gradually feeling yourself begin to panic. You knew you weren’t going to rest. You only knew that you wanted to cry, and you didn’t want to break down in front of him again. You felt the tears well up yet again as your body began to tremble. You had played it really well that you were okay after yesterday. Yes, you were relieved that Chris was not a worry at the moment, but the entire situation had you shook. Every time Chris had laid a hand on you like that in the past, you were terrified for your life. Nothing had changed during the incident yesterday. You really were afraid, you really did consider that he could seriously hurt you and your baby… or worse.

You felt yourself begin to gasp as your chest tightened, tears streaming down your face now. You hadn’t even realized that you had already begun to cry. You became dizzy and moved the blanket back over your face. What was this again? Oh yes, Rob had called it a panic attack that night after his show, right before you walked out on him.

You had been here before plenty of times, and you waited for it to pass as it always did. You wondered why you continued to try to play it so cool around Rob and your friends. Why did you insist on pretending that nothing was wrong? You recalled how you had told Rob that you knew you were safe, and it was okay to leave you alone for now. However, you didn’t feel safe at all. You desperately wanted Rob back here now, but you were so tired of bringing him down. You knew it was better to let him believe that you were handling all of this. You knew that this sense of panic would end soon and it was better that he not see it. You placed your hands on your stomach, hoping that the sudden betrayal of your own body wouldn’t have an effect on your son. Part of you wanted to call Rob right now, let him know what was happening and that you needed him. A bigger part of you decided it was best to just let it happen. So you waited for it to pass, wondering if you could continue to put on that façade of being okay.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Rob begin to breathe a little easier knowing that Chris is no longer a concern. Rob makes a big decision that puts the Reader in an awkward position. How will she react?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rob and Reader sing “Pushin’ Time” by Miranda Lambert again.

When the panic attack had subsided, you had finally eaten breakfast and spent the entire morning lying in bed. You watched some shows, dozed off here and there, and ordered more room service when you got hungry that afternoon. It had been a lazy day for you. At one point you decided to check emails, which had taken over your inbox since you had ignored it all for some time now. You had multiple emails from your manager who had been questioning whether you were going to finish recording any time soon. You still hadn’t explained to him your current situation and the fact that you needed to take a break from work. The last thing on your mind right now was finishing with your recording. You had already ignored phone calls from him for week, not wanting to deal with it, but you considered at least shooting him an email.

You typed up a quick reply, not wanting to go into too much detail. You explained that some things were going on and you would call him once you returned to L.A. You left it at that, feeling bad that you had bailed on everything. A career that you had wanted so badly had been right at your doorstep, you had performed new material, and you were so close to being done with recording. As usual, it had all been put on hold. You knew you were in no condition to even consider going back into the studio, nor could you perform at this time. It was just something that would have to wait even longer.

You finally considered joining everyone else at the convention later that evening. Lying in bed alone all day had you realizing how much you desperately missed Rob. You hadn’t been alone in some time; and although you felt that you needed it, it was causing you more anxiety than you had expected. Glancing at the time on your phone, you knew Rob was busy. He had promised to bother you with text messages while he was working, but he had really only been able to send a few just to check on you. Your replies had been brief and you thought about cluing him in about the panic attack you had just experienced, but as always, your fear of causing him to worry too much stopped you. Still, you wanted to see him. Climbing out of bed finally, you started to get ready, considering just heading down to the convention yourself. Another wave of panic struck you though at the idea of doing that alone. You knew you were safe for now. Chris was in custody and what he had done was grounds for a felony charge. But, you still couldn’t help but feel fearful of wandering down there alone.

It was irrational, you knew that. You began to wonder where the other you had gone; the one who was willing to leave your safe zone knowing full well that Chris was around. You wondered why you had spent years just dealing with whatever it was that Chris threw at you, playing off your abuse as “hey, it could’ve been worse”. You were no longer so nonchalant and used to the abuse. For the first time in years, you were actually afraid. Even knowing that you were technically safe at this very moment; you were a mass of anxiety and fear.

You grabbed your phone again, deciding that it was a better idea to have someone meet you at the room and walk with you. You chose not to bother Rob or Rich since they seemed to be the busiest people at the conventions.

You chose Kim. Kim had been your saving grace for the past few months. More than anyone else, she had helped you out through all of this; never judging you, always encouraging you, and still sticking up for you. If you couldn’t have Rob with you right now, you would certainly feel safe having Kim with you. You quickly found her name and opened up a new text message.

_Y/N: Hey Kim, do you have a minute?_

You moved toward the bathroom, expecting it to be a minute before she could reply, but glancing down at your phone you saw that your message had already been read.

_Kim: hey! Yeah, I always have time for you!_

_Y/N: I wanted to come down to the con…_

You thought about how to ask her to walk with you without sounding like a scared child about it.

_Y/N: but I was hoping you could help me cover up these bruises first. I don’t want anyone to see me like this._

_Kim: of course! Briana and I were waiting for you to come down. We have everything we need._

_Y/N: do you have time to maybe come to my room instead?_

You felt really bad for asking, knowing you would also be pulling them away from work and spending time with their friends.

_Kim: we are on our way._

You smiled as you read her message. They really were too good to you. You felt a moment of gratefulness. Maybe you didn’t have a family to call your own, but Rob and his friends were more than you could ever ask for.

You tossed your phone on the bed and made your way to the bathroom. Looking at yourself in the mirror, you flinched in disgust when you saw the marks on your neck again. You had been here before. It’s not like this hadn’t been a common occurrence when you were with Chris. In fact, it had happened so often that you just became used to hiding the bruises. This time however, it disgusted you. Seeing these bruises, knowing that he did this to you again; made you angry. Even worse, it made that twinge of panic creep up in the back of your mind again. You felt yourself get dizzy again and you gripped onto the counter as you continued to stare at yourself in the mirror. Through the dizziness and the now growing shortness of breath, you glanced down at your belly. Placing your hand over your bump, you now felt guilty. There was another panic attack brewing within you and you couldn’t stop it. Your guilt was from the fact that, not only was your anxiety bad for you, but it was probably worse for your baby. Why couldn’t you stop this?

You must have been standing there for some time, trying to steady your breathing to fight off the anxiety; because you heard a knock at your door. You knew it had to be Kim and Briana. Part of you considered ignoring them for now so that they couldn’t see that you were struggling with the situation at the moment. The other part of you wanted them here. You wanted them to see and to know what you were going through. Mostly, you just wanted Rob.

Still dizzy, you made your way out of the bathroom toward the door, using your hands to guide you along the walls of the room. Your breathing became more and more erratic and you began to feel your hands and face go numb. By the time you reached the door, tears were streaming down your face as you sobbed loudly without even meaning to. You shakily opened the door, immediately greeted by Kim and Briana, whose smiles quickly fell when they saw the state that you were in. The ladies rushed in, taking hold of you as you allowed yourself to collapse into their arms. You let yourself cry, knowing that you really didn’t have a choice. You were in full panic mode and there was nothing you could do to stop it.

The women practically carried you to your bed, offering hushed whispers of “it’s okay,” and “we’re here, Y/N.” All you could do was cry and do nothing about the shaking in your body and the tightness in your chest. You cradled your belly, still worried about what all of this would do to the baby. You sat on the bed as Kim and Briana sat on either side of you, each running hands along your back to try to relax you.

You watched as Briana got her phone out, knowing that she was going to call Rob. You reached a hand up and covered her own hand and the phone, shaking your head to indicate that you didn’t want that. You had been such a burden to Rob as it was, you didn’t need to add on to it. Briana gave you a disapproving look and you were able to form a few words for her.

“Please, don’t. Not now,” you said in between short breaths. The girls continued to sit with you, trying to sooth you as the attack began to pass. Thankfully, they didn’t ever last long. Sure, they were scary as hell, but you started to feel better as your breathing steadied and the tightness in your chest subsided. Kim and Briana also felt the relief as you began to feel better.

“Are you okay?” Kim asked, still running her hand along your back.

“I-I’m okay. I just… I don’t know why this keeps happening. I should be relieved knowing that Chris is gone for now. But I can’t help but to feel so afraid.”

“What do you mean? This has happened before?” She asked.

“Yes, this morning, after Rob left.”

Briana sighed, “Y/N, this has happened twice in one day? You’ve got to tell Rob.”

“I know, and I will. But, I just don’t want to bother him. I don’t want to pull him away from what he’s doing. I can’t keep doing that to him.” You rubbed your hands together, attempting to help the numbness in your fingers dissipate.

“You’re his first priority,” Kim added, “as it should be. You and that baby.”

“I know,” you mumbled, rubbing your belly again, “I’ll talk to him after the concert tonight. I can’t make him worry before that.  It’s bad enough that he can’t even play guitar because of me. By the way,” you turned to look at Kim, “how is your hand? Rob’s is pretty messed up after he hit Chris.”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Kim replied, holding her hand up for you to get a better look. She had no bruising, unlike Rob. “it hurts a little, but I also didn’t hit the guy in his nose.”

“I’m glad you’re okay,” you said, “I’m still sorry you had to get involved in that.”

“Totally worth it though,” Kim smiled, “I’d be happy to punch him again.”

You forced a smile, remembering why you had called them here in the first place, “hey, can we do something about this?” you asked, lifting your head to give the girls a better look at your injuries. “I really want to be at the show tonight.”

“Yeah, we can cover most of it up I think,” said Briana.

“Good. I’ve also got a cute scarf from Ruth that can hide most of it.”

“Well, let’s get this done before we miss the concert,” Kim started as she checked the time on her phone.

* * *

When the bruising was covered as much as it could be, you threw the scarf around your neck and decided that you could finally show your face at the con without worrying about people seeing anything. You followed Kim and Briana downstairs, relieved that you would make it in plenty of time for the concert. If there was anything in this world that made you feel better, it was seeing Rob performing. He had been texting you throughout the day, checking on you and practically begging you to be sure to make it for the show.

When you finally arrived to the greenroom, you spotted Rob across the room and quickly made your way to him. He noticed you as you drew closer, that amazing smile forming on his lips. When you finally reached him, you practically fell into his arms. You just wanted to feel him hold you by this point.

“H-hey,” he stuttered as you wrapped your arms around him, letting your head rest against his chest. You breathed out as he returned the embrace. You felt his hands grip into your back as hip lips placed a kiss to the top of your head.

“I missed you,” you said, not letting him go.

“I missed you too,” he chuckled, “are you okay?”

“I am now,” you replied as you pulled back from the embrace to look him in the eyes. He reached up to cup your face in his hand, allowing his thumb to trace along your skin.

“What’s going on?” he asked. He looked at you curiously, obviously not completely convinced that you were telling the truth.

“Nothing,” you began. You weren’t sure if you really wanted to bring this up at this current moment, especially since he was due on stage very soon. “I just… had a bit of a moment earlier.”

Rob frowned, “what kind of moment?”

“A panic attack… or two?” you responded, raising your shoulders and scrunching up your face as if you were questioning it yourself.

“Two?” He asked. He ran his hand over his face.

“It’s fine, I’m just having a hard time getting past what happened.”

Rob let out a heavy sigh before pulling you in for another hug, “Y/N, why didn’t you call me?”

“Because you’re busy and you have a life other than me,” you stated. it was true, he couldn’t continuously drop what he was doing to help you deal with your anxiety. “besides, they pass pretty quickly.”

“Doesn’t matter,” he pulled back again, bringing your eyes up to meet his, “promise me that you will always talk to me if you ever feel like that again. No putting it off, no hiding it.”

You nodded your head. It actually felt really nice having him be so insistent on knowing how you were feeling at all times, even if you were on the verge of a breakdown.

“You’ve got a lot going on in your mind, I know you do. You don’t talk about it often, but don’t think that I’m not aware.” He had you found out. As he spoke, you realized that your behavior hadn’t really gotten any better. If anything, you were still pretty damn good at pushing him away. Truthfully, you had been waiting for something to finally click with him so that he would realize that he was wasting his time on a broken girl who was difficult to love. It was moments like this that you knew you were wrong about him. “We’re doing so well, please know that you can talk to me about anything. I’m here to help you get through this.”

“Okay,” you whispered. You gave him a smile as he leaned in to kiss you on the lips.

“We gotta be on stage soon,” he added, “you’ll be out there, right?”

“Of course,” you responded, “wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

He ran his hand along the scarf draped over your neck, eyeing you. “You can’t even tell,” he said, obviously examining Kim and Briana’s work.

“The girls are really good with makeup,” you giggled.

He didn’t say anything else, he only wrapped his arms around you again, pulling you in so that he could kiss you. Rob pressed harder into you, parting your lips with his own. He deepened the kiss, and you melted into it. You hadn’t known it beforehand, but it was exactly what you needed. You just needed him to remind you that he wanted you, that he loved you.

* * *

You sat back as everyone around you prepared for the concert. The energy in the room was high, people laughing and talking excitedly. You watched them move about, and couldn’t help but smile at the fact that the events from the previous day hadn’t spoilt the rest of the convention. The last thing you wanted was more attention on you. You reveled in the moment of just being left alone for the time being, until Rich found you.

“Hey, Y/N,” he said as he sat next to you, “how are you doing?” He looked at you with genuine concern and you knew what he was referring to.

“I’m fine mostly,” you assured him, “I’d be better if people stopped bringing it up though.” You hadn’t meant to sound so harsh toward him, but it was true. If everyone would stop talking about it and asking you if you were okay, you’d probably deal with it better. Of course, you weren’t okay. You were currently a mess and on edge most of the time, worrying that you’d panic again.

“I’m sorry,” he said awkwardly. He moved his eyes from yours, looking a bit ashamed at having brought it up.

“No, I’m sorry,” you sighed at his reaction, “I know you’re just checking on me, and I appreciate it, but it’s hard to deal with everything when it’s always right in my face; you know?”

“I get it, and I won’t bring it up again.”

“Thank you,” you placed a hand on his arm, grateful that he was willing to drop the topic completely.

“Look, I’ve already got to go,” Rich said as he noticed the rest of the cast heading for the door, “looks like we’re starting. But,” he turned his attention back to you, “I just wanted to give you a heads up… don’t be surprised if Rob maybe… possibly mentions you tonight and, by mentions you, I mean draws attention to you.”

You frowned, “what do you mean?”

“I can’t really say, and I told him to at least give you warning, but I know he didn’t.” Rich stood up, now looking down at you. “Just, don’t be surprised. And it’s nothing to freak out about… just go with it.”

You felt your heartbeat quicken as Rich turned and exited the room with everyone else. _What did he mean? What was Rob going to do?_ You couldn’t help but to feel a bit of anxiety over knowing that something was going to happen but you didn’t have details as to what it was. The only thing that eased your mind slightly was knowing that Rob would never put you in a scary situation and he would never do anything to hurt you. You finally came to the conclusion that maybe he was finally ready to be open about the fact that he was in a relationship. You both knew that the fans knew about you. There were the pictures from Nashville and even pictures from the Louden Swain show that you had been at where Rob had no qualms over kissing you and signing to you in front of everyone. Of course the fans knew. Maybe he just wanted to confirm it. Or, maybe he was ready to make the announcement about the baby. You were through the first trimester, and it was a good time to make the announcement. You just weren’t sure about announcing it to a room full of fans. The thought made you nervous. You didn’t understand the fan relationship really since you were always a behind-the-scenes kind of person in the music industry.

Whatever it was that Rich had meant… whatever it was that Rob was up to, you relaxed with the knowledge that it would be okay.

* * *

A volunteer escorted you to your seat in the theater. You wanted to watch from the crowd, it was your favorite way to see the band play. Backstage was no way to experience a concert. You thanked the volunteer as you took your seat which was a few rows from the stage and off to the right. Not as close as the first time you had seen Rob play, but you weren’t complaining. You looked around the room at the faces of the excited fans, a grin spreading across your face just knowing that these people were here to see the guys play. Occasionally, you’d catch the stares of a few people around you. Some would stare at you, then turn when you noticed them to talk to the person next to them. You chuckled, wondering if you had been recognized.

As you began to relax more in your seat, the show finally started.

You watched them play, with the same excitement that you felt the first time you saw them in Nashville. It didn’t matter, every time they played… no matter where they were, it was always an amazing performance. This time however, you felt it was strange to see Rob perform without playing a guitar. Your eyes fell to his injured hand and your chest tightened when you remembered what had happened. Yes, he had hurt it because of you… but more importantly, he had hurt it defending you. The thought made you feel butterflies again. You decided to no longer feel bad about it, but now you felt extremely lucky to have a man like him.

You caught yourself singing along to the songs with the rest of the crowd, finally feeling like you fit in. The set was similar to the one you had seen in Nashville, so it was easy to sing along. Only this time, there were a few guests who joined the bad to sing. Kim, Briana, Ruth, Matt… Rich obviously joining to play bass.

When Rob started “She Waits”, you realized it was getting closer to the end of the set. So, you tried hard to really enjoy the last few songs. You watched intently as he sang. You loved the way he sang any song, but this one was especially important to him and you couldn’t help but be amazed at how intense and emotional he became every time he sang it.

The usual happened. The band exited, only to return again for an encore. You knew they would probably sing “Amazing” and they would definitely sing “Medicated.” So, you waited excitedly since you really loved “Medicated.” It was always fun; not just for the band and the cast, but for the fans as well. Instead of going right into the first song of the encore, Rob got to the mic and began to talk. You felt your nerves act up again when you realized that he was, in fact, talking about you.

“A little while ago,” he began, “I met someone by chance, and she turned out to be probably the most important person in the world to me.”

You felt your face flush with embarrassment as you watched him scan the room for you. You moved down in your seat to try to hide, smiling like a fool at the same time.

“I know she’s here,” Rob continued, “and I was hoping she’d come join me up here for a moment.”

Rich had been right. Rob had, in fact, just called you out in front of everyone. You had expected him to simply tell everyone you were his girlfriend, but you didn’t expect this. You knew you couldn’t leave him hanging up there by refusing to take the stage, but the nervousness was overwhelming. You started to shake your head in response, even knowing he couldn’t actually see you.

You wanted to go to him, but you froze. You could feel eyes on you and when you looked around, you realized that a lot more people knew who you were than you could have ever expected. Much of the audience in your area were looking right at you.

“Y/N?” You heard Rob call your name from the stage. You had definitely been spotted by him finally. You caught his gaze the best you could, pleading silently with him to stop. But, he only smiled at you, still waiting for you to join him. You felt the person next to you nudge your arm and you turned to look at her. She gave you an encouraging smile and said, “Go!” You nodded at her, feeling a lot more calm when you realized that she wasn’t shooting you dirty looks. You knew that had always been your main issue with being noticed by Rob’s fans. You didn’t want to deal with the jealousy that you thought often came along with fandom. For some reason, this woman’s simple encouragement made you realize that maybe, his fans just weren’t that way.

Before you realized it, you were willing yourself to stand up. You scooted past the other people in the row of seats, heart still racing. You clutched your belly protectively, now wondering if they could all tell now that literally every eye in the room was on you.

You walked to the side of the stage, stopping for a moment to look at Rob. He motioned for you to keep going, keeping that sweet smile on. You finally did as he had asked and stepped on to the stage. When you got to him, he embraced you and you took the moment to try to figure out what was going on.

“What are you doing?” you hissed in his ear. The idea of being in front of all these people had you now on edge.

“It’s okay,” he laughed, “trust me.”

He let you go and moved back to the microphone.

“This is Y/N, I’m sure most of you have seen her around,” the audience cheered which caught you off guard slightly since you were expecting “boos” to start at any minute.

“She’s your girlfriend!” someone shouted from the crowd. Rob laughed at the outburst.

“Yes, she is. But, she’s also a really amazing songwriter who happens to have an even more amazing voice,” He turned his head to face you, motioning for you to come closer. “And, if it’s okay with her, I was hoping we could sing a song that we wrote together.”

The crowd cheered louder now and Rob moved to grab a guitar which he brought back to you. You took it from him hesitantly as you spoke to him.

“Really, what are you doing?”

“Come on, you’ve done this before. I saw you at your show, you poured your heart out in front of those people and you haven’t been on stage since. You put everything on hold for me, and for our son. It’s time.” He brushed a hand against your stomach as you held the guitar at your side.

You realized that he hadn’t stopped thinking about you and your career. You had often thought about when you would ever be able to finish recording, when you would be able to perform again. You hadn’t thought about the possibility of Rob caring about all of that.

“You’ve got to play,” he said, holding up his hand to remind you that he couldn’t, “Let’s do ‘Pushin’ Time’”

“We’ve sang it once,” you argued, feeling nervous that you wouldn’t remember it, “what if I fuck up?”

“You won’t. You got this.”

You adjusted the guitar, standing at the microphone as Rob moved to the next one over. You cleared your throat as you tried to look out into the crowd. Luckily, you were mostly blinded by the lights, so you couldn’t really tell just how many people were watching you. You swallowed hard and began to strum the tune. Rob had really put you at the center of attention, and although you were nervous as hell, you glanced over at him again and just seeing his face light up at the realization you were actually going to do this made your worries dissipate.

You started to sing, just as you had done with Rob in the privacy in his home. You started the first verse shakily, not sure if you could gather your composure at this point.

 _Are we fools for rushing in?_  
_‘Cause already dread the end_  
 _Lonely ain’t no place to start_  
 _I guess thats just where we are_

You breathed a little easier, focusing on playing the right notes as Rob took over the next verse, just as he had done the only other time you had sang the song together.

You joined him in the chorus again. You suddenly began to feel less nervous. There was something about having him there with you, singing with you. Your voices blended together and you felt the familiar shivers down your spine at the sound.

When it was your turn for the next verse, you glanced over to Rob who met your gaze. He smiled at you, and you couldn’t help but sing just for him. In that moment, you knew there were hundreds of people watching the two of you, but you felt as if they had disappeared; so it was only you and him, singing to each other again.

You both made it through the chorus again, and you watched Rob intently as he took the last verse. You really did love this man. Just the fact that he had pulled you up here to sing the song that you had written together, the song that was about the two of you and this whirlwind of a romance that you had both fallen into; it made you happy to know that he didn’t care what anyone thought of your relationship. He was in this with you and only you.

 _Sometimes love acts out of spite_  
_And good things happen over night_  
 _Can’t take it slow 'cause you and I are pushin’ time_  
 _Can’t take it slow 'cause you and I are pushin’ time_

You strummed out the final notes, surprised that you had managed to play the song all the way through with no mistakes. While you had started out nervous as hell, you now felt very comfortable up there with him as the audience cheered for the two of you.

Rob walked toward you, taking your hand as you waved to the fans. You laughed as he helped you remove the guitar and returned it to its spot behind you.

“Thank you,” you said as he hugged you again, “that was actually a lot of fun.”

  
He pulled back and kissed you, right there in front of everyone. You could almost hear the fans screaming louder as you lost yourself in his kiss for a moment. When he was done, you gripped his hand and moved to make your way off the stage finally. That had been enough attention for one night and you were happy to let him get back to performing with his band. Before you could take a step, he gripped your hand tighter and pulled you back so that he could stand in front of the microphone.

“Hold on,” he said to you, not letting go of your hand, “there’s one more thing…”

You cocked your head at him out of curiosity. Surely this night couldn’t be filled with any more surprises. He finally let go of your hand once he was sure you were staying put so that he could take the mic from its stand, then he began to speak again. You expected him to address the audience, but he instead faced you, eyes never leaving your face as he spoke.

“We’ve been through a lot together,” he started; this time, attempting to take your hand again with his own injured hand. You chuckled at his attempt and held onto him softly as he continued, “It’s been really crazy and really difficult sometimes; but I want you to know that I love you and I always have.”

You felt your face flush again. _Why was he saying all of this in front of everyone?_ Your mind began to race with thoughts of what was going on. _  
_

“From that moment that I met you in Nashville, I knew you were it for me. I knew you were the one. And we didn’t expect everything to happen so quickly, but it did. Now, we’re starting a family, and I couldn’t be happier about that.” He moved his bandaged hand to your belly as he said the words. You were sure the entire room had finally been validated in their thoughts that you might be pregnant.

“What are you doing, Rob?” you finally spoke, still unsure of what was happening.

You caught a hint of a sly smile cross his lips. He let go of your hand suddenly, moving the mic to his bad hand the best he could, and reached into the pocket on the inside of his waistcoat. He fumbled for a moment, and you couldn’t help but notice that he had become very nervous about something suddenly. When he found what he was searching for, he regained his composure, still holding the mic in his bad hand as he reached back with the other to take your hand yet again. You felt something in his palm and he gripped your hand tightly. You tried to move a bit, to see if you could figure out what it was, but his grip only tightened as you did so. You narrowed your eyes at him in confusion as he dropped to one knee on the stage.

Your heart stopped briefly, still unsure of what was happening, but knowing exactly what this looked like. Rob moved the microphone back to his lips and continued to speak.

“Y-you have to know how happy you make me. You have to know how much I love you,” he began to stutter, growing nervous again. You smiled at how adorable he was when he was in this moment. You weren’t positive, but you had a good idea of what was happening now.

“Rob,” you said, hoping he could hear you. You realized that the audience had grown silent, they too were waiting for… whatever this was.

“Y/N, w-will you make me the luckiest man in the world?” He paused for a moment and you looked into his eyes that were now almost pleading with you. He was now a wreck, and you weren’t sure if he could make it through whatever it was that he was about to ask.

“Rob,” you said again, this time feeling tears well up in your eyes. You couldn’t believe this was happening right now, but you were sure it was. He grinned at the sound of your voice and he continued.

“Y/N… will you marry me?”


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rob’s proposal leaves the Reader in shock. She begins to question Rob’s motives and both are left wondering if this is the right choice after all.

You swear you felt your heart stop in that moment. You had a feeling this was coming, but the actuality of it hit you like a ton of bricks. You stared down at Rob in shock, realizing after a short time that you had stopped breathing. You could feel your face, wet with tears. Were they happy tears? You weren’t sure at the moment as your mind began to race with thoughts. You half wanted to ask him what the hell he was thinking, but you also wanted so desperately to answer him.

He stayed there, on one knee, hand still gripping yours. All you could do was stare into those blue eyes that now looked at you as if begging you to say something… anything. You realized that you had stood there in shock for far too long, unable to answer him. Truth be told, you weren’t sure _how_ to answer him. This was all very sudden and unexpected. The two of you had never even discussed the possibility of marriage. You brought your free hand up to your face, covering your mouth as you choked out a sob. Only this time, it wasn’t the usual crying that you had been doing. You genuinely felt overwhelmed and surprised and strangely, very loved right now. His words echoed in your mind, and you knew you had to answer him. The crowd that you had almost forgotten about sat hushed the entire time. While you wanted to pull him to his feet and tell him that this was something that you needed to talk about first, you knew you couldn’t do that. You had been put on the spot. Rich wasn’t lying, that’s for sure. 

You continued to stare at him as his face fell. That happy smile that he had worn as he proposed to you had disappeared and you knew that he was preparing himself for the worst. All you could do was will yourself to say something.

Before you could get any words out, you felt yourself nodding you head in agreement. When your brain finally caught up with your actions and you realized that you were accepting his proposal, you opened your mouth to speak finally.

“Y-yes Rob,” you managed to say, voice shaky, “of course I will.”

You felt relieved when that smile reappeared on his face as he stood up. Still holding your hand, he turned it so that he could place whatever it had been that he was holding into your palm as he let go of your hand. You stared down into your hand at the ring. You continued to hold your hand out, almost afraid to move. But, Rob took the ring from your hand and repositioned you so that he could attempt to slide the ring onto your finger. He fumbled a bit and you couldn’t help but smile at his awkwardness. Watching him struggle right now reminded you why you had fallen in love with him in the first place. You still felt a lump grow in your throat as he attempted to put the ring on your finger, his injured hand and nervousness making it a bit more difficult. You couldn’t help but wonder if you were making a mistake, or maybe your feelings and reactions were simply shock at having not expected this. When he finally had the ring on your finger, you looked back up at him. Still crying, you waited for his next move as you suddenly froze again.

You could vaguely hear the audience erupt in applause, the sound muffled by the fog in your head. You thought you might pass out for a moment. Again, you weren’t sure what you were feeling. You felt extremely happy as you looked at him, knowing that you really did love this man. But you also felt as if this was something else. You couldn’t help but wonder why he was doing this. Rob broke you from your daze as he pulled you in; arms wrapping tight around your waist. He brought his face to yours, looking at you intently as if to figure out how you were feeling. You offered him a smile and he brought his lips to yours. He kissed you almost as hungrily as he had the first time the two of you had kissed. You felt your knees weaken and your stomach flip at the excitement. Slowly, you brought your hands up to his face, cupping them along his jawline as he deepened the kiss. Wow, the audience really is getting a show, you thought. Still, it didn’t stop you from letting him kiss you. Something in that kiss made you relax a little. While your head had been swimming with thoughts of trying to talk him out of this, thoughts of telling him what an idiot he was being… you now began to feel as if maybe this wasn’t a mistake. You knew that the two of you were supposed to be together, no matter what crap you had gone through. You just couldn’t stop the nagging thought of this happening too soon.

When Rob finally ended the kiss, you stood there as he continued to hold you. You didn’t know if you could get your legs to work. You waited for him to move, to maybe help you get off the stage and away from the hundreds of people who still had their eyes on you. The reminder that you were, at the moment, the center of attention sent a wave of panic through you. The past few minutes, you had managed to almost forget about all of the people here. Now, you were fully aware. Now, you were realizing that these strangers had just been a part of a very intimate moment between you and Rob. You weren’t sure if you wanted to scream at him for doing this in front of all these people, or if you felt flattered that he wanted to share this moment with them. You were now a nervous wreck; still crying and shaking. Rob must have noticed now that you were still in shock.

He slowly moved back in; this time, placing his forehead gently against yours. That was all you needed to relax. You closed your eyes as you pressed back against him. You appreciated that he always knew how to bring you back. The movement had always been something that he had done from the very beginning. You weren’t sure why, but it was something that meant a lot to you. It was as if he was just reminding you that he was there and nothing bad would happen to you. When you finally relaxed, he moved again so that he was embracing you, his head in the crook of your neck as he brought his lips up against your ear.

“I love you, Y/N,” he whispered. You felt yourself smile, knowing that he was being honest with you.

“I love you too, Benedict,” you replied softly. He placed a lingering kiss to your neck before finally taking your hand and guiding you to the back of the stage. He waved briefly to the audience who were still cheering loudly. You practically dragged him off stage when you remembered how badly you wanted to be out of the spotlight.

* * *

When you had finally exited the stage, Rob kept a tight grip on you hand as he turned you to face him. He was no longer smiling. Now, he met your eyes with an almost hurt look falling across his face.

“You hesitated…” he muttered.

You felt a pang in your chest just seeing how upset he was and how he instantly knew that you had hesitated. You shook your head in disagreement. Glancing quickly behind him, you noticed everyone walking toward the two of you. Kim, Briana, Rich, Ruth, Matt… there were more, but you couldn’t tell. You knew this was not the time to tell him that you certainly had some doubts about this. You wanted to ask him what he was thinking, why he would do this. You couldn’t though. All you could do right now was try to ease his mind. You couldn’t bear the idea of hurting him right now.

“You… really hesitated,” he continued.

“I was just… shocked,” was all you could manage to say. Yes, you had hesitated. You had went through every possible answer in your head. But, you weren’t really lying. You had been shocked. Before either of you could say anything else, the group had reached you and the moment was forgotten as cheers and congratulations began. You put on a smile for them; knowing that you weren’t about to question Rob in front of everyone. You really did feel happy. You loved Rob. You also knew that this was definitely something that would have to be discussed later. For now, what was the harm in celebrating?

* * *

You moved through the next couple of hours in a daze that you couldn’t shake. You didn’t understand why you were feeling this way, all you knew was that you probably shouldn’t be feeling like this after just having been proposed to. You found yourself nodding with a smile plastered on your face as people approached you to congratulate you. You couldn’t even make out what was being said most of the time, or rather, you didn’t want to. This should have been one of the happiest moments of your life, but you couldn’t help but feel as if it was all a mistake.

When you started to feel less numb, you realized that somehow, you had walked with everyone to a nearby bar. Obviously, everyone wanted to really celebrate and you couldn’t help but feel out of place there. You watched as Rob and his friends drank and laughed, while you sat at a table with the girls sipping on a glass of water. You figured you’d give it a few minutes before you decided to leave. The girls talked excitedly at you and you occasionally answered their questions and joined in on the conversation the best you could. You hoped that they couldn’t tell how unexcited you were.

You felt a hand on your shoulder and spun around to see Rich standing behind you. You stared at him, wondering if you should smile, but only feeling a bit of resentment toward him. He had given you a heads up after all, but he certainly didn’t warn you that this was going to happen.

“Let’s talk,” he offered, nodding toward the door of the bar. You stood up quickly to walk with him, grateful that he was leading you away from the noise and the smell of alcohol. You weren’t sure how your stomach was able to handle it in the first place.

Once you were outside, you took a deep breath of the cool air.

“You good?” Rich asked, watching you as you stood there awkwardly.

“Yeah, of course,” you replied. You looked at him, wondering how much he knew. You wondered how he could let Rob do this. “It’s the happiest day of my life… right?” You felt tears fill your eyes as you spoke. It was supposed to be the happiest day of your life. That’s how proposals were supposed to work. If you and Rob hadn’t been in such a messed up situation, you probably wouldn’t be second guessing it at all. The truth was that you were actually terrified.

Rich looked down at the ground, trying not to meet your gaze.

“I told him not to do it. Not like this,” he stated. You sucked in a breath at the understanding that Rich knew exactly what was going to happen and he didn’t even have the nerve to warn you really. Also, he had tried to talk Rob out of it. That right there made you feel many things. Relief that you weren’t the only one who thought this was a bad idea, anger that Rich had practically allowed it to happen.

“You knew he was going to do this, and you didn’t even warn me?”

“I couldn’t. it wasn’t my place,” he explained as he looked back up at you. “He was so set on proposing. I told him to not rush things anymore… you two have had a hell of a ride, maybe it wasn’t a good idea to keep moving so fast. He wouldn’t listen though.”

“It’s insane, right? I’m not the only one who thinks he’s lost his damn mind?”

Rich met your eyes with a pained look.

“I guess it’s insane,” he shrugged, not really knowing the answer, “if you don’t want to marry him.”

“I’m not saying that,” you breathed out. Hearing him say it made your chest ache. “I’m just saying, we’ve never even discussed marriage.”

“But you said yes,” Rich reminded you, raising an eyebrow.

“He asked me in front of everyone. What was I supposed to do?” you cried out. The tears that had been building up began to fall down your face now as you thought about how much all of this could hurt him. Just the idea of you second guessing this was bad enough.

Rich shrugged again, staring back down at the ground.

“Why would he do this?” you asked, not really sure if you were asking Rich a direct question or if you were just asking yourself at this point. “Does he really want to marry me? Is he just thinking that he’s doing the right thing?” You began to sob again, body shaking as you tried to make sense of Rob’s motives behind this. You couldn’t stand the thought of him only doing this because he felt that he had to. At this point though, it was the only thing that made sense.

Rich moved toward you, wrapping his arms around your shoulders as you cried into your hands. It wasn’t as good as a Rob hug, but you felt strangely safe and relaxed in his arms.

“I wish I knew sweetie,” he said as he placed a kiss to the top of your head, “that’s something the two of you will have to figure out.”

* * *

You and Rich returned to the bar after your talk. You knew that you needed to talk to Rob, but seeing him here; having a good time with his friends and looking… happy for once, you knew it would have to wait. You approached him at the bar where he and the others were standing.

“Hey you!” he shouted when he saw you standing there.

“Hey,” you smiled at him. You could tell he was getting pretty tipsy from the flush in his cheeks and the way he swayed slightly where he stood. You chuckled, only hoping that he didn’t get too carried away. You also knew that you weren’t about to deal with drunk Rob right now.

“Hey guys!” he said loudly, trying to gather everyone’s attention, “this is my fiancé!” He grabbed you by the waist and pulled you in to him, leaning in to attempt to kiss you.

“Woah there, Rob,” you stopped him, placing your hand against his mouth. “Sorry, but I don’t think I can handle this right now.”

Rob frowned at you, hurt by your shut down.

“Look, I’m getting kinda tired and it’s really loud in here…” you said loudly, trying to make sure that he heard you over all the noise, “and the smell is getting to me… I’m going to go to bed, okay?”

“Really?” he pouted, “we were just celebrating.”

“You can celebrate all you want,” you leaned in to kiss him on the cheek to make up for turning down his kiss, “but I am pregnant and hanging out in a bar. I’d really rather not be here.”

“I’m sorry,” Rob apologized. You could tell that he felt bad for having allowed his friends to drag you to a bar in the first place.

“Have fun. Really, it’s okay.”

“No, I’ll go back with you,” Rob placed his drink on the counter, indicating that he was done.

“You don’t have to,” you assured him.

“I want to. I can celebrate with these guys any time. I want to be with you tonight.”

You grinned at his insistence. He really knew how to be sweet sometimes. You motioned for him to follow you as you took his hand.

“Hey! Where are you going?” you heard Matt shout as you led Rob out of the bar.

“I’m taking my pregnant fiancé home,” Rob responded.

* * *

By the time you made it back to your room, Rob’s buzz had mostly worn off. It was a relief really, since you weren’t sure if you could handle him inebriated. He made sure to head straight to the bathroom to brush his teeth since you had dodged his kiss earlier because of the smell of alcohol on his breath. You changed into pajamas, thankful to be in the quiet of your room. You crawled under the covers and leaned back against the headboard as you waited for him while he finished. He too changed his clothes as you watched him.

“Like what you see?” he grinned at you as he removed his shirt.

“Always,” you giggled. Yes, the sight of him nearly naked excited you, but you knew that there were more important things to think of right now. He decided against putting on a shirt and made his way toward you. He crawled into the bed next to you, immediately moving in for a kiss. You gladly let him this time.

Just as the kiss became heated, Rob moved his hand up your shirt and ran his fingers along your skin. You gasped as he suddenly pushed you back, moving so that he could be on top of you. You continued to kiss for a moment, Rob still exploring your body with his good hand. You wanted so desperately to let him continue. You wanted to keep kissing him, you wanted to feel him. But you knew that if you didn’t talk to him about his proposal right now, you would chicken out completely.

“Rob,” you whispered against his lips.

“Hmmm,” he hummed as he moved in to kiss you harder.

“Please, Rob.” You brought your hands up to his chest, pushing against him to make him stop. Your movement startled him and he quickly backed off. He moved off of you, looking upset again.

“I’m sorry, are you okay?” he asked, searching your expression for any indication that he may have hurt you or scared you.

“I’m fine,” you said reassuringly, “I just… we need to talk.”

“Talk about what?”

“I think you know that we need to talk about what happened tonight.”

“Why?” he asked. He looked genuinely confused now.

“I just- I need to know… is this what you really want?”

“What do you mean?”

“Rob, we’ve known each other for, what, just over 4 months… most of that time we didn’t even spend together…” you tried to explain your concern calmly. The topic must be a touchy one for him, because Rob suddenly got off the bed and stood up.

“Well, that wasn’t my fault,” he reminded you.

“I know. But… this is crazy, Rob… isn’t it?”

“What’s crazy?”

“You! Proposing to me!” you heard your voice raise, a little upset that Rob was acting as if none of this was a big deal.

“Oh, so now I’m crazy?”

“No! But you proposing to me is.” You hadn’t meant to be so blunt about it. In fact, you had planned to bring it up a lot more gently in hopes that you could avoid hurting his feelings.

Rob moved to his luggage, turning his back on you as he fumbled through his suitcase. He finally found a t-shirt and slipped it on.

“You know,” he huffed, his voice bitter now, “if you don’t want to marry someone, you don’t say yes when they ask.”

“You asked me in front of hundreds of people Rob. Was I supposed to shoot you down while everyone watched? I couldn’t do that to you.”

“So, you wanted to say no,” he turned to look at you, pain evident in his eyes. “You don’t tell someone you’ll marry them unless you actually want to!” He slumped his head back in frustration as he ran his hands through his hair. “God, I’m such an idiot. I should’ve know that nothing has changed.”

“Rob, I’m not saying no…” you argued.

“It sure as hell sounds like it,” he spat back.

“It’s just… everything between us happens so damn fast. I feel like I don’t ever have a moment to think, to take it all in. I do love you and I’d be lying if I said I never thought about marriage, a family, being happy… with you,” you stood up, moving toward him as he stood there. You could tell he was hesitant to let you touch him, so you took his face in your hands slowly, “But, this has to be for the right reasons. You can’t propose to me just because we’re having a baby.”

“Isn’t that how it’s supposed to go,” he asked, “we’re in love and we happen to be having a baby. Shouldn’t I seal the deal? Shouldn’t I take that step to make us a real family?”

You felt the ache in your chest again at his words.

“Rob, this was an accident.”

He scoffed at you, hurt by the bluntness of your statement, “oh, so now our son is an accident?”

“We didn’t plan this. Neither of us thought any of this was going to happen. We can’t do this just because we… accidentally ended up here. It’s not fair to anyone.” You choked out those last few words, knowing that you needed to make him understand. “I can’t go through this feeling like I trapped you. I can’t live with the possibility that you feel forced into being with me.”

You saw the realization dawn on him and you breathed a sigh of relief. He had been the only person you ever really talked to about your family. He was the only one who understood why it had all fallen apart.

“I just… I need to know,” you began to cry again, wanting desperately for him to ease your mind. You wanted him to convince you that this was all for the right reasons. “I need to know that you’re not asking me to marry you because you feel like you have to. I can’t do that to you. I can’t do that to our son.”

“Y/N…” He wrapped his arms around you as you cried into his chest. The memories of your own parents and your own childhood had built up and overflowed. Your only fear was that the two of you would eventually end up the same way your own parents had. You knew you couldn’t live with that again.

Rob let you cry for a while; rubbing your back with his good hand and whispering softly in your ear. When he was sure you had calmed down a bit, he pulled you back so that he could look you right in the eyes.

“I promise you, everything that I said out there, I meant it. Every word. I would mean it even if you weren’t pregnant.” He reached up to brush a strand of hair from your face, “you are not trapping me. You are not forcing me into anything.”

“We’ve never even talked about getting married…”

“Well, we are now. I’m sorry I jumped the gun. I should have talked to you first. If you want, I can just take the ring and put it away for another time. Either way, I’m not going anywhere. It’s still you… you’re it for me, and that’s why I proposed.” He continued to look you in your eyes, his own eyes watered with tears now.

“I don’t know…” you replied honestly, “I just don’t think that you’re thinking straight. I don’t think you’re making the right decision.”

Rob closed his eyes and let out another heavy sigh. You knew he was frustrated with you, and he was trying not to be. He was constantly aware of how difficult these things were for you. He knew why you always questioned him, he understood why you sometimes didn’t believe that people would ever do things solely out of love for you.

“Y/N?” He opened his eyes to meet your again, intent on making sure that you were looking right at him as he continued, “why can’t you just let me love you? I know why… I just… please, let me love you. Let me show you how much I love you without constantly questioning everything I do or say. Please. Why can’t you do that for me?”

“Because… no one has ever loved me like that,” it hurt to say it out loud, but it was the truth. You still had a hard time letting Rob in because you didn’t understand what this kind of love was. You didn’t really understand how anyone could even love you like this. More often than not, you believed that he was putting on an act. The things Briana had said to you previously never really did leave you. No matter how hard you tried to push them from your mind, you really did feel as if he was sticking around for your son. Even after everything, you didn’t believe anyone could actually love you at all.

“Well, I do,” Rob stated, “I don’t care that we’ve only known each other for a few months, I don’t care what anyone else thinks, I only care about you and our son. I care about what you think.” He ran his hand along your cheek and very slowly placed his forehead against yours again. “I am crazy about you. I have been since I first saw you.”

You fell silent for a while, closing your eyes at the feeling of his head against yours. He was able to ground you again and you couldn’t help but think that he knew what he was doing by this point.

“Ask me again,” you whispered, keeping your eyes shut as you stayed pressed against him.

“What?” You opened your eyes at his question, meeting his gaze.

“Ask me again.”

His lips turned up into a smile, “Y/N, will you marry me?”

“Yes.”

This time, you didn’t hesitate. You no longer had questions and doubts racing through your head. You weren’t overwhelmed by the idea of hundreds of people watching you and judging you. You were very suddenly overwhelmed only by the feelings that Rob filled you with. Yes, you were afraid. But, you were also certain. You were sure that this was what was supposed to happen. You knew you were meant to be with him, and you relaxed in the knowledge that he felt the same way about you.

Neither of you spoke; Rob only moved in to kiss you again. This time, you kissed him back with the same eagerness that he had given you on that stage. You felt yourself still crying; only now, you knew that it was because you were  finally happy. **  
**


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rob and Reader discuss the proposal and their future together.

You couldn’t remember the last time you woke up feeling so happy. If there had ever been a time before today, you were sure it would have been one of your mornings with Rob when you had first met. Things had been difficult between the two of you for some time, so it was especially remarkable to be feeling this way today.

You nestled into him as he still slept, arm draped over you, that beard tickling your shoulder as he rested against you. You couldn’t help the permanent smile that you woke up with. Your movements stirred him and he slowly opened his eyes and met your stare as his lips turned up into a grin. He tightened his hold on you, pulling you in as close as he could.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he said, voice cracked with sleep. He moved his face closer to yours until his beard brushed against the side of your face, and finally placed a soft kiss to your lips. You hummed in appreciation, still unable to wipe your own smile off your face. You brought your hand up to his face, tracing your fingers along his jawline. 

After the kiss ended, you opened your eyes and that’s when you caught a glance of the ring on your finger. Your smile widened and you glanced back at Rob, who was staring at you adoringly.

“You’re in a particularly good mood this morning,” he said, running his hand along your arm.

“Hmm, I had a particularly good night,” you replied.

“Oh?” He raised a brow curiously, “the sex was pretty phenomenal…”

“Well, yes,” you chuckled, “but there’s a lot more to it than just that.”

“What ever could you mean?” He teased.

You moved your hand from his face, moving it so that you could hold it up for him to see.

“Wow! Where did that come from?” He acted surprised and you gave him a playful slap on his arm.

The two of you laughed together, recalling the crazy events from the night before. He placed quick kisses along your face and you giggled uncontrollably as his beard tickled you.

“Stop!” you cried out in a fit of laughter. He pulled back, giving you a moment to breathe. You continued to lie there, looking at each other. You could stare at him all day honestly. You often wondered how you had gotten so lucky. Not only was he really easy on the eyes, but he was a good man. You sometimes felt like you didn’t deserve him, and more often than not, you wondered how he even managed to put up with you and your emotional baggage. Watching him watch you right now, you didn’t question anything anymore. You had never had anyone look at you the way that he did. You weren’t sure, but you assumed that this is what love was really supposed to be. Not that you had much experience in the matter; but you had never felt like this before, and you had never had anyone feel this way about you before.

He ran a hand down your neck thoughtfully as his eyes focused on the spot that his hand had found. You remembered the incident from the other day and your stomach turned at the thought of it. You knew he was focusing on the bruises that had been left behind by Chris. You watched his face fall as he too was most likely recalling the incident. He shifted slightly, bringing his still injured hand from beneath you as he flinched. In the midst of all the excitement from yesterday, you had almost forgotten just how serious the run in with Chris had been for both of you. You knew Rob was still dealing internally with what had happened to you and, quite possibly his son. Chris having claimed that your child wasn’t even Rob’s had also had a huge effect on him. You felt comfort in knowing that Rob never questioned it, never even once thought that it could be true. And you? You had obviously still been reeling from the event. Your panic attacks and anxiety over the situation had become a lot to handle.

Sometimes, it was difficult to tell what went on through Rob’s mind. He was often hard to read. You wondered why he insisted on continuing to keep a fast pace when it came to the two of you. You had treaded lightly for most of the relationship. Sure, Nashville had been a whirlwind, but at one point, even you realized you need to slow down. Not Rob. He insisted on moving quickly. This had been very evident in the way he involved you not only in his life, but in the lives of his friends so soon. There had been many other instances; insisting you stay with him at his home in L.A., wanting so desperately to make sure his fans knew who you were and that you were with him, the way he continued to call you after you had left him before he eventually just tracked you down so that he could see you.

All of that had been fine; because even you had given in, realizing that it was impossible to take a step back and slow down when it came to this man. You had expected most of it after a while. The events from last night however, you had not expected. Especially not in that context. There was no way that Rob could have possibly thought that that particular moment was the perfect moment to propose. You realized that there had to be an actual reason why he chose it.

“What made you think it was a good idea to propose to me so soon after my ex literally assaulted me?” You hadn’t really meant to say it out loud, or quite like that, but you would be lying if you said it hadn’t been a constant thought in your mind. You would have thought Rob had done it to either help you forget about the assault or to make a point of some sort.

“I didn’t think it was a good idea,” he frowned, “I had already planned it though, and I wasn’t about to let him ruin it for us. I honestly thought you’d turn me down because of the timing. I didn’t think you’d say yes… but when you did, I should have expected you second guess it.”

“You had to know I wasn’t going to embarrass you in front of all those people.”

“I know, it was kind of a dick move on my part. It’s no wonder you questioned me. I really did deserve the third degree. Rich was right,” he added, smiling to himself, “he really tried to talk me out of it, at least out of picking that night to do it. I probably should have listened to him. I probably should have just waited for another time.”

“Maybe…” you agreed. It certainly hadn’t been a perfect moment, in fact, it had put you in a terrible position. “You never had to make it so… extravagant either.”

“I just wanted everyone to know how I feel about you. I wanted everyone to know that you are mine. I wanted you to know… I needed to help you forget about him and I thought that this would have made you so happy that you’d forget about what happened.” Rob closed his eyes as he replayed the things that he had been thinking of in that moment. “I think I just wanted to make myself forget about it too.”

You frowned as you felt a pang in your chest over his words. It all made sense now. He was only thinking of helping you and possibly himself out of what would become a painful memory.

“All I ever needed was you. After our talk last night, right here in this room, that was all I could have ever needed from you. The way you asked me then, was perfect.”

“I’m glad we got there then.”

“You sure you really want to marry me, Benedict?” you asked softly. You knew you sounded desperate; constantly checking in to make sure that this is what he really wanted… that you were what he really wanted.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” he replied as he moved in again for another kiss. You sighed against his lips, finally feeling relaxed for once. He pulled back after a while, going back to resting his head against your shoulder as his hand moved to your belly.

You stayed that way for some time, just enjoying a quiet moment with each other. It was perfect.

“We’ve got a lot to figure out once we get home,” you reminded him. Now that you were more awake, your head was already buzzing with thoughts of everything that needed to be done before this baby came.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, where do we go from here?” You wondered out loud. “We’ve still got two separate houses, apparently we have a wedding to plan, and we haven’t done a thing to prepare for the baby.”

“Well, I just assumed you’d move in with me,” he pointed out, leaning back up to meet your gaze again, “I mean, you’ve basically been living there anyway.”

“You’re right,” you nodded in agreement, “I’m very comfortable there. Much more comfortable than in my own home.”

“You gotta leave all of the bad things behind, I know that place holds a lot of unpleasant memories for you.” His tone changed slightly. He was no longer giggly and playful; now he became serious as the two of you discussed your future together. Honestly, it was a breath of fresh air to see him so thoughtful as the two of you made plans. He really was serious about you and your son.

“Okay, I guess we have one thing sorted out…”

“We’ll figure it all out together. We always do.”

“I have to admit, I’m really nervous.”

“You’re only what, 14 weeks along now? There’s still time. If it makes you feel better, we’ll work on turning the other room into a nursery when we get back home.”

“And the wedding?” You questioned him. You had to admit, the idea of planning a wedding for you and Rob was a lot less scary than you had thought it would be. In fact, you really looked forward to it.

“I’m not trying to rush you into anything. We can do this whenever you’re ready. Before our son is born… after… I just wanted to get that ring on your finger. I wanted you to know that I really am serious about us, and I do want to be with you.”

You stayed silent, staring at the ring on your hand again. You considered when it might be a good time to marry Rob, or if there ever was going to be a perfect time. Your lives were so mixed up, but in the most wonderful way. Everything was so out of order with the two of you; so rushed and hectic, but filled with so much passion and love for each other.

“Hey,” Rob began as he reached for your chin to turn your head to face him. He had obviously noticed you had fallen into your own thoughts, and felt he needed to reassure you, “it will be okay. We will be okay. We’re gonna do this together.”

“I know,” you smiled at him.

“So… what do you say?” He continued to look into your eyes, “are you ready for us to really do this? Are you ready to be a mom… are you ready to be Mrs. Benedict?” He grinned at the name. You couldn’t stop the smile that crept back onto your face as the words flowed so easily off his tongue. It had a nice ring to it; and for once in your life, you really did feel sure of two things… being a mother to his child, and being his wife.

“I’m ready,” you answered him. You felt relief when you realized just how easy it was becoming to finally tell him the truth.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four months after Chicago, Rob and Reader are making plans together, preparing for their new life. Reader is finally happy and content; until she eavesdrops on a conversation that she wishes she hadn’t heard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reader sings “Makin’ Plans” by Miranda Lambert

##  **4 months later**

You tapped the pen gently against your lip as you thought, occasionally biting down on the end which was already worn from countless nights of songwriting. You flipped through the brown, leather-bound journal that Rob had gifted you after he left Nashville. It had been halfway filled by the time the two of you finally figured out where it was that you stood with each other, then went untouched for some time as you started to work your way through the ins and outs of the past 7 months of what could only be described as a tumultuous relationship.

After leaving the Chicago convention, you had wearily called your manager; who had been bugging you about finishing your recording. You explained things to him, hoping he would understand that you only needed time. You had decided together that it was best for you to stay home and focus on healing and your growing family. There had been more conventions and it seemed as if Rob never stopped working. When you weren’t with him in another city at a convention, he was off playing with his band somewhere, or working on other projects. Eventually, you had become far too pregnant to be able to keep up with him. After a few months of running around the country with him, you decided that your energy could best be spent staying home and making it… well, a home.

Only recently however, you began to get antsy. When there was no more work to be done on the nursery and nothing left to do around the house, you knew you needed to find a way to expel some extra energy. That’s not to say that you weren’t constantly tired due to being 7 months pregnant, but you found yourself bored easily and just wanted to do something. So, you decided to contact Mark earlier than you had planned and explained to him that you wanted to try to get some more work in before the baby came.

Rob had not been amused by your sudden need for work. He constantly reminded you to take it easy, possibly reliving the horribleness of how sick you had been at the beginning of your pregnancy. While all of that hadn’t passed completely, you had become a pro at learning how to avoid getting sick altogether. Rob thought your time was better spent resting while you had the chance, but you argued and as usual, won. You understood his attempts at getting you to stay at home all day. He really was only looking out for you and your health, but he didn’t understand how miserable it was to sit around alone and do nothing all day.

Rob had been spending his days close to home; still working, but mostly with the band in the studio or doing shows around the area. He remained busy; in fact, you barely saw each other. When you did see each other, it was during early morning hours as he was rushing off to work and then late in the evening as he returned home. Either way, he was the first to leave and the last to come home. Very rarely would he leave town for anything now and you couldn’t help but feel pleased that he wanted to stay so close. You only wished that by him being in town for work, you would actually get to spend time with him. you understood of course, recording and performing took a lot of work and musicians often ended up in the studio for days at a time. Rob being gone all day left you feeling bored often, so, while he was off working across town, you busied yourself in the studio as well.

Today, as you flipped through the pages in that journal, you realized you had nearly filled the remaining half of the pages just within the past couple of months. It made your heartache to think that soon, you wouldn’t be able to turn to the old thing anymore. Soon, it would have served its purpose and would be shelved like the rest of your journals and notebooks that housed your words and feelings. None of those ones hurt quite like this particular journal. Perhaps it was because of the obvious importance of this one to you. You mindlessly continued to thumb through the paper, realizing that this one was going to be especially tough to finish up because of the story that it contained.

You had started your journey in Nashville with a plain old notebook that you started to fill with lyrics about heartbreak and pain. You had written a lot about Chris and what he had done to you. And then you met Rob… he had given you this journal as he hurried out of your life briefly, knowing that you needed something to write in. It was during that weekend that your entire life had changed. When he left to go home, you immediately packed your old notebook in your bag and opened the journal to take in its crisp new pages and that new book smell. The leather in itself reminded you of Rob, and you knew that you would fill these pages with him.

And you had done just that. This journal played out as the story of the two of you. Some of it sad and difficult to relive; but most of it was hopeful and filled with so much love. It was filled with all of the first time butterflies, the first heartbreak, and the fears and hopes of your future together. You stopped flipping through the pages as you came to the point where you had left off months ago. It was the song that you and Rob had written together. You smiled as you looked at the words scrawled across the pages; your handwriting and his, written and scribbled out and rewritten again. You fan a finger along the words, remembering the feeling of having written this with the man that you had fallen in love with.

Since then, you had continued on. Writing even more lyrics so that you had to dredge through them all to find what else would work for recording purposes. You turned back to where you had left off only moments ago and let out a heavy sigh. It was easy to be in love with Rob, but no one ever talks about how difficult it is to actually write about love. You never felt like you could express yourself properly, you didn’t think any song could ever do justice to how you felt about him.

You put your pen back to the page, hoping that you could figure out a way to finish these particular lyrics. Just as you were wracking your brain, pained at how difficult it had become to write, your phone rang. You reached down and grinned when you saw Rob’s name show up on the screen.

“Hey,” you breathed out as you answered the call.

“Hey baby,” Rob’s voice came through the other line causing you to smile more. “What are you up to?”

“Just working still,” you sighed, still slightly frustrated over your writer’s block.

“I’m going to be finishing up here in a couple of hours,” he explained, “I would love for you to meet me at home. Maybe we can do dinner tonight.”

“I would love that.”

“We can go to that Italian place that you like,” he offered. Now your mouth was watering. You hadn’t realized how hungry you were until he mentioned food.

“You know me too well Benedict…” you said, pleased that he remembered that that little place had the best breadsticks you had ever eaten.

He laughed as you praised him with approval at his choice of restaurant.

“We can also go over some more wedding stuff. I know it’s the ‘woman’s special day’ and all, but I had some thoughts…”

“Rob, it’s _our_ day,” you corrected him. In all honesty, you really didn’t want to plan a wedding on your own. In fact, you lived for the moments when Rob would chime in with his own thoughts and ideas. It made it so much easier on you to have him be involved, it also made it better for you as a couple to work together on something that was meant for the two of you. You lifted your hand so that you could stare at your ring as you spoke. You were constantly in awe of the diamond on your finger. It wasn’t flashy or huge, it was perfect. Rob really did know you so well, and he had proven that just by picking out your engagement ring on his own.

“This has been nice… right?” He questioned you.

“What?”

“I mean, the two of us… being close to home, focusing on our son; who, by the way, is going to be here before we even realize it. And, I dunno, just planning our lives together.”

“Hmm,” you hummed, “it has been nice. Thank you for helping with everything.”

“I want to be as involved as I can be,” he said, “I’ll see you in a couple hours.”

“Okay, I love you Benedict.”

“I love you too, Y/N.”

As you hung up, you couldn’t help but feel grateful for Rob. He was always so attentive and caring. The past few months had gone on without a hitch. The two of you focused on each other, your son, your life together. You immediately turned to a set of lyrics you had been working on, suddenly filled with inspiration. You picked up your pen and began to write, adding to the two verses that you had started some time ago.

You stayed like that for a while, writing and scribbling; your usual process, until you were satisfied. You reached over on the couch and picked up your guitar, struggling to hold it properly on your lap now that your belly had grown rather large. This guitar was new. You sadly had to retire your old guitar after the neck had cracked. It had been through many years of wear and tear, it was only a matter of time when you would have to give her up. You had actually cried when it happened unexpectedly, distraught mostly over having damaged the one piece of your life that had meant something to you. Rob had tried desperately to see about getting it repaired, but in the end, it wasn’t happening. Unable to part with her completely, Rob insisted that she made a nice decorative piece for the wall. You were so grateful for how he recognized your feelings about the things that were important to you.

“I know you’re sad,” he had comforted you, “that thing has been with you through a lot. But, there’s always a time when you’ve got to start fresh, leave the past behind. Think of it as a new chapter to your life.”

* * *

_The day after the old thing broke, Rob had driven you to a nearby music shop, saying that he just needed to get a few things. He shopped around as you made your way through the aisles, gravitating to the guitars on display. You could feel him watch you intently as you ran your fingertips along various guitars. It was a process with you when it came to instruments. Sure, you owned other guitars… most of which had been given to you by people you had worked with, you never actually bought your own before. You were far too attached to your old one. That day though, you took your time as you usually did when you’d visit a music shop. You always took the time to feel for the right one, then you’d play for a little while before returning it to its place. A large part of you never felt worthy enough to actually spend the money on a really nice guitar. You had always been told that it didn’t matter; you were never going to actually play your songs for anyone anyway._

_That day though, you found one that sort of called out to you. You picked it up, in awe of the beautiful color and design. You quickly moved to sit on a bench nearby so that you could see how it actually felt in your hands. When you positioned yourself, you felt goosebumps simply over how your hands felt around the neck. You began to strum, knowing that the real beauty would be in the sound. You played a tune that you had been working on while you had been songwriting. Something incomplete, but hard to keep out of your head. Within the first few chords, you had fallen in love. Truth be told, it sounded better than your old guitar. So, you had stayed for a while, messing around with chords and taking more time to run your fingertips along the smooth body of the instrument._

_When you finally looked up from the guitar, you saw Rob standing to your side, watching quietly with a smile on his face._

_“She sounds beautiful,” he said when you stopped strumming._

_“Yeah, she does,” you sighed, knowing that you’d have to give her up now when you noticed that Rob was holding the things that he had come here in the first place for. You reluctantly stood up, moving back to the spot where you had found her. You slowly placed her back on her stand, hand still gripping the neck almost as if you were saying goodbye._

_“It’s yours, if you want it.” You nearly stumbled as you spun in Rob’s direction._

_“Wh-what?” you questioned him, not really sure if you had heard him properly._

_“Take her home.” Rob moved toward you, blue eyes carefully gauging your reaction to his words._

_“Oh, no… I couldn’t,” you shook your head, knowing that you couldn’t afford something like this, nor did you deserve it. “I saw the price tag, it’s a bit too much for me.”_

_“You need a new one,” he argued as he took your hand in his._

_“I have a few guitars Rob, I think I’ll be fine.”_

_“When have you ever actually played any of them.”_

_“Well, I don’t…”_

_“And why is that?”_

_“Because they’re not the right one.”_

_Rob brought his lips up into a half grin as he let go of your hand, moving to pick up the guitar that you had just played. He turned it around in his hands, examining everything about it._

_“I saw the way you looked while you were playing this one. I’ve never seen you look so… content. Almost like you just found your soulmate.” He handed the guitar over to you and you took it in your shaky hands. What was he doing? He knew you couldn’t afford something like this._

_“So, I was looking at it the same way I look at you?” you grinned at him briefly._

_“You know what I mean…” he reiterated with a smile._

_“Rob, I-“_

_“No,” he cut you off before you could object, “I want to get this for you.”_

_“I can’t let you do that. It’s too much.”_

_“Nothing is too much for you.”_

_Your breath caught at his words. You gripped the guitar, not wanting to let go, but feeling as if you should. You couldn’t allow him to purchase something like this for you._

_“Besides,” he continued, “that ring on your finger cost way more than this guitar does.”_

_You blushed as you tried to comprehend the fact that Rob was willing to maybe spoil you a little bit._

_“It’s just a guitar, it’s not that important,” you moved to put it back but he stopped you, gently grabbing your hand that was tight around the neck of the guitar still._

_“If I get to see you smile like that every time you play this, it most certainly is that important. Please, let me do this for you.”_

_You felt like you couldn’t argue anymore. He just wanted you to be happy, and strangely, he had caught on to how happy you felt as you strummed this guitar. You knew you would be happy writing music with it._

_“Okay…” you finally agreed, allowing him to carry it for you as you made your way to the front of the shop, “thank you Rob. No one has ever…”_

_“I know,” he said, being well aware of how you had been treated in your past. You were sure it made him proud to be able to take care of you, but mostly to be able to make you smile._

_“Besides,” he added, “it’s a good color choice.”_

_You blushed again when you were found out. You didn’t think he’d catch on at all, but he really did know you too well. He paid for the items and the two of you packed them in the car and headed home together, that smile never leaving your face._

* * *

You smiled as you replayed the memory, and smiled even bigger as you held onto that baby blue guitar that Rob had insisted that you had to have. He was right though, as he usually was. Writing music with the right instrument was crucial to a songwriter, and this guitar had not failed you so far.

You began to strum, finding the rhythm before you began to sing the lyrics to the song you had been working on:

 _If I ever left this town_  
_I’d never settle down_  
 _I’d just be wanderin’ around_  
 _If I ever left this town_  


You smiled when you finished the song, pleased with how it sounded. You glanced at your phone, realizing that you had spent the last hour working on this song. You quickly gathered your things, leaving the empty studio to head home.

* * *

“Wow,” Rob mumbled as he sat across from you, watching you as you practically inhaled your food.

“I know, right?” you agreed with him, “these are literally the best breadsticks ever.” You took a bite of your third breadstick.

“I should really feed you more often,” he chuckled, obviously amazed at how quickly you were able to down three breadsticks in mere minutes. You pulled off a piece of the bread that you were currently working on and tossed it at him playfully.

You perked up as your plates of pasta arrived, stomach still grumbling. Rob only chuckled again, probably by the look of excitement on your face as your food was set down in front of you. You quickly dug in, savoring the taste.

“God, this place has the best food…” you said out loud.

“I know, but I don’t know if I can handle eating here every week.”

“Hey, I’m the pregnant one. If I need pasta and breadsticks weekly, you give me pasta and breadsticks.”

“Okay,” he laughed, throwing his hands up in defeat, “I’m not gonna argue with that one.”

You continued to eat, slowing down a bit as you could start to feel yourself get full.

“I was thinking about the seating plan, I wanted to know what you thought about where to put my family.”

You cringed at his words. If there was one thing about a wedding that you wanted no part of, it was dealing with family logistics. Honestly, you didn’t care where anyone went.

“Doesn’t matter to me, Rob…” you paused and sat up straight, taking a break from your meal as you watched him eat slowly. “I don’t even have a family, so it’s not like we’re going to fight over whose family sits where.”

He glanced up at you quickly, looking uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry…,” he began, “I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s fine,” you cut him off, “Why don’t you just worry about that part.”

“I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“I know,” you forced a smile for him. He often talked like this, especially when it came to the wedding or who might be present at the hospital when your son was born. He had an extended family, one that he loved and had been very involved in your lives once they had gotten past the suddenness of the engagement, the pregnancy, and mostly the fact that you even existed. They were kind and always around to help. It had been difficult for you to accept them into your own life though. You quite literally did not have a family. You still didn’t really know how to act around one. Rob often forgot this. You figured he was so wrapped up in you and the baby that he sometimes forgot to stop and think about what you might be going through while planning a wedding in which you would have no family in attendance. Sometimes, you felt like this wedding was going to be more his than yours.

You both continued to eat in silence. When you had finished, you politely declined dessert, which left Rob looking shocked. Truthfully, you weren’t in the mood anymore. You were ready to go home and rest.

* * *

When you were finally home, you kicked your shoes off, suddenly aware of just how sore you were. You hobbled as you made your way to the couch and immediately plopped down, realizing that it was going to be difficult to get back up from this position.

“Ugh,” you groaned, watching Rob from your spot. You reached out a hand, motioning for him to join you. He did as you wanted, sitting on the other end of the couch, placing your feet in his lap.

“Let me,” he offered as he began working on your swollen feet.

“Thank you,” you whispered, closing your eyes as you enjoyed the relief his hands offered you. “That feels amazing…”

“What can I say, I’m good with my hands,” he wiggled his eyebrows at you.

“I’m sorry again,” he spoke again after a minute, “I really don’t mean to bring any of that up.”

“It’s nothing Rob,” you assured him.

“No, it’s not nothing. It upsets you and I’m going to try harder to not do that to you.”

“Can you ever stop being so sweet?” you asked, watching him again as he continued to massage your feet.

“You want me to try to do that too?”

“Nevermind,” you giggled, “I like you when you’re sweet.”

You closed your eyes, lost in the feeling of his hands relaxing you. Before you knew it, you had dozed off.

* * *

When you woke, you immediately looked down to the end of the couch where Rob had been. He was no longer there and you struggled to sit up, finding it increasingly difficult to even move the larger your belly became.

“Rob?” you called out, falling silent as you waited for him. He didn’t come and you couldn’t hear anything. You continued to struggle until you were finally able to pull yourself up into a sitting position. Where was he? The lights were on all throughout the house, the tv was now playing quietly across from the couch. He couldn’t have gone far. You stood up and made your way to find him.

You had looked all throughout the house without any luck, so you decided to check one more place when you remembered that he often liked to sit outside at night to enjoy the cool air. It was slightly more chilly than usual, given that it was November, but you figured he could still be out there. You moved to the sliding glass door through the dining room, noticing the door slightly open. You reached for the door, ready to join him until you heard him talking. You paused, straining your ears to find out what he was saying and who he might be talking to. You knew you shouldn’t eavesdrop, but the tone of his voice led you to believe this was a serious conversation. Your curiosity got the best of you, so you lowered your hand and just stood there, listening.

“She’s not going to be happy with that…”

He paused and you couldn’t hear anyone else speaking, so you figured that he was definitely talking to someone on the phone.

“I know her well enough to know that she’s going to be pissed… I can’t stand keeping secrets like this from her, this is a bad idea… I don’t think I can keep hiding this from her… okay, soon then, don’t make me lie for too much longer…”

There was a long pause on his end. You realized you were holding your breath and your heart was racing. You felt your face heat up, and you weren’t sure if it was out of embarrassment or anger at this point. Tears began to well up in your eyes and you forced yourself to hold them back. You had no idea who he was talking to, but you sure as hell knew what it sounded like.

“I love you, do you know that?” You could hear him laugh fondly at whoever it was that was on the other end of the call. Those words caused you to gasp and you quickly threw your hand over your mouth to stop the shocked sob that was threatening to escape.

You heard him tell the other person goodnight and you realized that he had ended the call. You willed your legs to move so that you could get away before he found out that you had been listening. Suddenly wracked with devastation over the conversation that you had just overheard, you forced your body to move. You were able to walk away, making your way to the bedroom, closing the door behind you as you worked at forcing back the intense emotions overcoming you. Just as you were attempting to regain your composure, the door opened and Rob entered the room.

“Hey,” he smiled at you, “I didn’t realize you woke up.”

You wanted to confront him. You wanted to ask him who she was, who he had been talking to and for how long. You had so many questions. At this moment, you couldn’t bring yourself to tell him that you had heard everything. Part of you wanted to not believe it at all. But, you couldn’t comprehend in what other context he might be having a conversation like that. You had been here before. Knowing that you were being cheated on, having overheard countless conversations between Chris and another woman. When you had finally confronted him, it had been your own fault. You were reminded how inadequate you had been, how unattractive and unwanted you were. When you thought about confronting Rob just now, you realized that you didn’t want to be reminded of all of that again, especially not by him.

“I was uncomfortable. I’m just going to bed.” You spoke quickly and nervously, still fighting to not lose it right now. ‘This couldn’t be happening again,’ you thought.

“Okay, I just have a couple of things to do and I’m right behind you baby,” he smiled again and you nodded at him, feeling slightly sick by him calling you baby after what you had just heard.

“Yeah, goodnight.” You replied.

“Are you okay?” he asked, looking worried. He entered the room, walking toward you.

“I’m fine. Just tired.” You kept your responses short, hoping you could hold it together for a little longer.

He wrapped his arms around you, his body pressed against your very pregnant belly. For the first time ever, the feeling of having him so close to you made you feel sick. It didn’t matter how good he had been to you lately, how amazing he looked right now; you couldn’t get what you had heard out of your head. You had quickly tried to convince yourself this you misheard… misunderstood. But, you knew what you had heard. He was lying to you about something. The worst of it was hearing him tell the other person that he loved them. Those words were supposed to be saved for you, and you truly thought they were only ever going to be meant for you.

“I’m okay… really,” you insisted, gently pushing him away, trying to distance yourself from him as your head ached with thoughts racing through it. “Just let me sleep please.”

“Okay,” he leaned in and kissed you softly on your lips causing you to freeze. He pulled back at your hesitance, eyeing you worriedly.

“S-sorry,” you stuttered, “not really feeling it. I think it’s heartburn,” you lied.

He scowled at you, reaching up to brush his hand along your face, “Aw, sorry baby. Do you need anything?”

“Nope. Just some rest.” You turned your back to him, moving toward the closet to find pajamas to change into. You knew you had to get away from him right now, avoid eye contact. It was killing you to play it cool. You didn’t know why you were ignoring it, you just knew that you didn’t want to deal with this again.

“Okay, goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” you replied sharply.

You waited for him to close the door behind him as he left before you allowed yourself to gasp for air, chest aching now. You felt tears roll down your face and you covered your mouth again to stifle the sound of your crying. You didn’t know if the pain was from having held your breath this whole time so not to slip up and let him know that you had eavesdropped, or if it was from your heart literally breaking.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader is convinced that Rob is cheating on her. She soon finds herself sneaking around, trying to catch him in a lie. When the time comes to confront him, she’s not prepared for what is really going on.

You weren’t quite sure how you had managed to keep quiet about things for the next week. Every morning, you found yourself watching Rob intensely as he got ready to head off to work. At least, that’s what you were telling yourself he was doing every day. You barely saw him throughout the day; he would leave every morning and come home late at night.

You knew what you had heard that night, but you had a hard time facing it. Maybe you wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but the conversation replayed in your mind constantly. You wondered who he had been talking to and what he had been lying to you about. It really could have been any number of things, but the idea that he was cheating on you was the only one that stuck out in your mind. What’s worse, he continued to act as if nothing were going on, which only left you wondering how long this had been going on.

You were no stranger to cheating. Perhaps the fact that you had been there before is what was holding you back from confronting Rob in the first place. Much like everything else in your last relationship, confrontation had never ended well for you. You recalled how you had found yourself in the same situation with your ex, and how you had finally called him out on it after months of knowing but not facing the facts. Of course, with him, it didn’t go well; and when you finally decided to leave him, he roped you back in, promising that he would change and that he would work on fixing things between you. You had wanted him to uphold his promise; leave her to stay with you and try to work on being better to you. That had all fallen apart rapidly, how promise broken when he left you waiting at that airport for him.

The truth was that you didn’t want this relationship with Rob to end up that way. While it made your chest ache just thinking about what he was doing, and you often felt physically ill when he was around; you wanted to make things work with him. You knew this was your own fault. Whatever shortcomings you had seemed to always mess up your relationships. All you could do was hope that you could convince him that you were enough.

Almost every night, when he would return home, you noticed that he would get messages from someone and occasionally a phone call. The fact that he would take certain phone calls and excuse himself, making sure he left the room that you were in; only made you that much more sure of what was going on.

Still, you couldn’t bring yourself to confront him. No matter how anxious you became or how disgusted you felt when he was around you, you still couldn’t decide on what to do about it. Mostly, you’d mope around the house all day, wondering where he was and who he was with. When the thoughts became too intrusive, you’d go to the studio and try to take your mind off of things with work. Being at work didn’t help. You only found yourself writing a lot about your doubts and your fears with this new situation.

When you couldn’t handle writing anymore about heartache, especially when it was Rob who was on your mind, you decided to give up on work for a while. You weren’t in the right mindset to focus on recording anymore. Again, you left the studio and headed home with no intention of returning any time soon. Right now, you had a lot to think about and big decisions to make.

* * *

Later that night, when Rob still hadn’t returned home; you decided that enough was enough. You felt it deep down that something was going on. There was no way he was spending this many hours of the day in the studio. Instead of calling him and having him lie to you again, you decided to go the next best route.

You quickly thumbed through your phone, stopping on Billy’s name. You pressed the call button and only waited a couple of seconds before he answered.

“Hey, Y/N? What’s up?”

“Oh… nothing. I was just calling to see how long you guys are planning to be tonight. Rob’s not answering so I figured he was busy, I thought I’d try you.”

“What? Do we have plans tonight?” Billy asked, sounding confused.

“No, I just… you guys have been working a lot. It would be nice to see Rob for a couple of hours tonight before it gets too late.”

“I’m not with Rob.”

“What do you mean? He said he was working in the studio today. In fact, he’s been working like crazy for weeks.”

“Oh yeah, we were there earlier. We all left a few hours ago though.”

“Oh…”

“Y/N, is everything okay?”

“Yeah… hey, have you guys been working every day though?”

“I mean, a few days a week yeah. But we never stay late.”

“Ok,” you choked out as you felt your chest tighten, “Thanks Billy.”

“Hey, is everything okay? Are you guys okay?”

“Yeah. You just said you’ve been done working for hours, and I haven’t heard from him, we have plans with Rich tonight…”

“Y/N, what’s going on?”

“I don’t know… I’m okay. Thank you.” You ended the call quickly before he could ask more questions. It was bad enough that he now had an idea that something was going on, you didn’t need for him to hear you cry or admit to him that you thought Rob was cheating on you. You didn’t want to believe it yourself. All you knew was that Rob was definitely lying and he wasn’t coming home right when he was done working. To top things off, he was barely answering your messages.

All you could do was wait. Wait for him to eventually return home and try to hold back the sick feeling that was growing when you looked at him. 

* * *

“Sorry I’m late honey,” he moved in to kiss you on the forehead as he entered the room, “just got super busy and we lost track of time.”

“Oh… we?”

“The band, we were just working on a song and got caught up.”

You forced back the need to tell him that he was lying. You wanted to tell him that you knew, you wanted to scream and hit him; both of which you knew would be the wrong choice.

“Well, I’m glad that you’ll be home tomorrow at least.” You said, forcing a smile.

“About that… I need to be back tomorrow. Only for a little while. I promise I won’t stay late again.”

You hung your head, frustrated and defeated. This couldn’t be happening again. Not with this man who swore that he loved you so much, and was willing to stay with you even through the toughest times you had ever faced. Now he was lying to you. He was doing something that he always told you that he didn’t approve of. He insisted that it was something that you didn’t deserve to go through. Despite having felt stronger after what you had gone through with your ex, you realized you were still very weak. You couldn’t even tell him that you knew. You couldn’t even bring yourself to walk out of the house to leave yet another liar.

“If we hurry, we can still make it to Rich’s for dinner,” he said as he started toward the bedroom.

“I’ve been ready, Rob. Just sitting here, waiting for you as usual.” You didn’t mean for it to come out so harsh, but it was true. This past week especially, you had noticed just how often you were waiting for him, only to have him not show up.

“I said I’m sorry…” he sighed, turning back to you.

“I know. Let’s just go and get this over with, please.”

“Hey, you’re the one who was all about these plans a few weeks ago. We don’t have to go.”

“No, I want to. Rich is our friend and we promised him.”

“Okay.”

You sat in your same spot, eyeing Rob as he moved to the room to get ready. You could sense a fight brewing and you hated the thought of it. If only he would just be honest and fess up, you might not take it as badly as you thought you would.

The drive to Rich’s was quiet and slightly uncomfortable. How you had continued to manage to keep your cool around Rob was still beyond you. All you really knew was the had come home late, yet again; the entire time you knew that he wasn’t where he said he was going to be. Luckily, you didn’t know who this other woman was, so you weren’t left picturing the two of them together. You just sat there with the knowledge, trying to decide how you would eventually handle this.

As you pulled up in front of Rich’s place, you moved to open your door, grateful to finally be allowed to escape the tenseness between you and Rob.

“Let me,” Rob said, insisting that you let him come around and help you out of the car.

“I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” you reminded him, rolling your eyes at his sudden gentlemanly behavior. He was obviously trying to make up for something he had done wrong, and you weren’t about to give him the pleasure.

He shook his head, unamused as he exited the car and made his way around to you anyway. You already had the door open before he could reach you, and you were now struggling to get out of the car, something that had become quite the chore now that you had grown so large. Rob instinctively reached down for your hand to help you. Normally, you would let him help you; hell, your heart skipped a beat every time he offered. Today, you weren’t in the mood to deal with his kindness because you knew the real reason behind it.

“I’m fine,” you mumbled as you batted his hand away. The last thing you wanted right now was for him to touch you. He looked hurt as he let his hand drop. You eventually got out of the car and stood next to him.

“See,” you said, “I’ve got it.”

He didn’t respond, he only reached around you, letting his arm wrap around your back as you began to walk. You wanted to let him touch you, but it seemed as though every time he did, you couldn’t handle it. It made your stomach turn every time he tried to show you affection and this was not a feeling you were used to with Rob.

You squirmed out of his arm, wanting to distance yourself from him as much as you could.

“Are you okay?” He asked as you walked quickly in front of him.

“I told you, I’m fine.” You felt his hand grasp around your arm gently. He stopped you and pulled on you, encouraging you to talk to him. You sighed and turned to face him, eyes avoiding his.

“I said I was sorry for being late.”

“I know.”

“Then please don’t keep punishing me for it.” He looked at you, those blue eyes pleading with you.

“I’m not trying to punish you,” you lied, “look, I’m just tired and moody, can we please just get through dinner?”

You pulled your arm out of his grasp and turned your back on him, heading for the front door without him.

“Fine,” you heard him mutter from behind you.

* * *

Dinner with Rich and his wife had been awkward. It probably wasn’t best for you and Rob to be around each other in the first place, the entire room had been filled with uneasiness and you knew that they could feel it too. You kept your distance from Rob, knowing that if you continued to allow his to get under your skin, you would do something you’d regret. It had been so tense that Jaci eventually excused herself, saying that she had an early morning and needed sleep. This left you alone with Rob and Rich and you considered telling Rob that it was time to go to avoid putting Rich in an even more awkward spot.

“So, how have things been?” Rich asked, motioning between you and Rob as the three of you sat in the living room together. You hadn’t seen him in a long while, and you were sure he was interested in how baby and wedding plans were going.

“Good,” Rob assured him as he glanced at you, “things are good.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Yeah, you know, just finished the nursery. We’ve got a date set for the wedding, we’re just working on some details is all.” Rob clued him in, speaking almost lovingly as he discussed the baby and even the wedding.

“We are?” you sneered at Rob.

“Honey,” he looked at you disbelievingly, surprised by your behavior, “we’ve been planning a lot in the past few weeks.”

“Oh, well, I don’t know about _we_ …” you replied sarcastically. It was a lie. Rob hadn’t been around enough for the two of you to discuss anything.

Rich raised a brow, concerned at the banter between you and Rob that he was now witnessing.

“Rob has been planning things probably. I wouldn’t really know because he hasn’t been home lately.”

Rob whipped his head back toward you.

“Y/N?” he began, confused even more by your behavior.

“What? Rich asked how we were doing… why don’t you tell him the truth? He’s your best friend.”

“Whoa, I mean… I don’t really need to know…” Rich stuttered now, obviously uncomfortable as your banter with Rob was now turning into a full-blown argument.

“Uh, maybe because not everyone needs to know our business,” Rob said leaning in closer to you. He placed a hand on your knee and looked at you questioningly.

“It’s only our business if both of us are involved in it. Seeing as I’ve been alone for the past week or two, maybe it’s just your business.” You bit your lip after saying it. Maybe you were pushing it; telling Rich more than you should. If no one had been aware that there were problems in your relationship lately, well now at least Rich was aware. You really didn’t want anyone to know, it was embarrassing for you that Rob was being unfaithful. But having him here, talking about your lives and your plans together, not even being honest with what was really going on; it made it difficult to keep your cool.

“Hey, do you think I can talk to you privately for a sec?” Rob asked. He was growing upset just listening to your outbursts and you really couldn’t blame him.

You rolled your eyes again as Rob grabbed your hand and led you outside to the front porch, closing the door behind you.

“What is your problem?” he hissed.

“I don’t have a problem. I was just being honest.”

“What is this? You’re mad at me for working so much, so you just want to let everyone else know that I haven’t been around?” He continued, trying hard to keep his voice down.

“I don’t want to let everyone know. I’m just…” you wanted to tell him that you knew what he was up to. You wanted so badly to finally confront him. But, truth be told, you wanted to ignore the problem. You looked at him now and still felt disgusted, but you also still felt love for him. Confronting him and knowing what the possible results of that could be, you felt as if you would rather ignore the problem. Maybe just convincing him to be with you more would make him realize that he still loved you. Maybe shortening that leash could keep him away from whoever it was that he was seeing. “I’m just… angry with you.”

“Why are you angry? What did I do?” He cried out, exasperated now.

“Do you know how hard it is to be pregnant and alone every single day? I barely see you, and I don’t know what you’re really doing half the time.”

Those words apparently affected him and you watched as he tensed up, swallowing hard.

“I’m sorry…” he whispered. You watched him and noticed his eyes gloss over with tears. “You’re right. I’ve been… working too much. I didn’t realize what that was doing to you.”

“You have been… right? Working?” He shot you a look and for a brief second, you felt as if you had finally caught him. You immediately considered rewording your question, now realizing that you didn’t want to hear the truth if he was ready to tell it.

“Of course I have,” he mumbled. You had never had a reason to think that Rob was ever lying to you, but the way he was now talking and behaving, it was very unlike him. It was unusual to now witness the signs that he was lying, and you hated it. You hated that you had brought anything up and you hated seeing him behave this way. You hated it because this… this wasn’t the Rob you knew.

“You need to stop,” you pleaded with him, not referring to him working too much; because you both knew that wasn’t the real issue, “please just stop, and stay with me.” You were crying again, something that wasn’t new to you. Now, you were crying as you silently begged him to stop cheating on you. Maybe if he would just give it up, come back to you, you could forgive him… pretend that it didn’t even happen. The idea of him being with someone else while he was still in this relationship with you was too much to handle. You knew you couldn’t stay for long. But, the idea of being without him was scarier than anything else you could imagine. All you needed was for him to just stop.

He pulled you in for a hug, wrapping his arms around you tightly.

“I’m right here. I know I’ve been gone a lot, but I’m just trying to get things done before our son comes. I promise you, I’m not going anywhere.”

“You say that, but I need you now. I need to know that you’ll be home at a decent time. I need to know that you’ll always come back to me.”

Rob stayed quiet for some time. Holding you tighter in his arms as he listened to you cry.

“I have a feeling that we aren’t talking about work anymore…” he said softly against your ear.

“What else would I be talking about?” you asked him, testing the waters. Your heart beat faster when you realized that this could be the moment when he could finally admit to everything. You didn’t want him to, you wanted to keep pretending. But why were you still pressing the matter when you knew you didn’t want to actually hear the truth?

“I don’t know,” he lied as he pulled back to look at you, “look, I promise I’m going to do better. We’ll spend more time together. I’ll tell the guys we need to work less so I can be home more.”

“Thank you,” you sighed.

“I only have a bit to do tomorrow, I’ll be done by noon and then I’m all yours.”

You felt your face heat up, knowing that no matter how much you begged him, he most likely wasn’t going to end whatever it was with whoever this other woman was. Deep down, you knew that he didn’t have work plans tomorrow and his insistence that he did only made you angrier with him. You’d let him have this one for now, but you were determined now to find out just how much he was keeping from you.

“Fine,” you said, clenching your teeth together, “let’s just go home now, I don’t want to go back in there. I already made them uncomfortable enough.”

“I’ll just get your stuff,” Rob said as he reached for the doorknob. He entered the house, leaving you on the front porch and to your own thoughts.

Sure, you had convinced yourself that you probably didn’t want to know details about what Rob was doing and who he was with. Now, your curiosity had gotten the best of you. You knew you couldn’t keep pretending, not when he continued to lie so blatantly to your face. Now, you were angry. You decided that you would do what you could to figure it out.

* * *

Later that night, as you and Rob got ready for bed, you shot Billy a quick text just to confirm.

_Y/N: Hey, are you guys working tomorrow? Wanted to make plans to surprise Rob with a date night._

You felt pathetic. You had been through this before. Paranoid and sneaking around to see where he was and who he was with. You had reached the point where you were now also lying and trying to get info from his friends. You didn’t want to be this girl. But you also didn’t want to be the girl who was being cheated on yet again.

_Billy: No. We all decided to take a day off._

_Y/N: Thanks again._

You felt your jaw clench tight again, still fighting back the urge to confront Rob. He had just deliberately lied to your face. Something was definitely going on. Any ounce of uncertainty that you had that maybe you were wrong about this was gone now. You decided that you were done playing the victim here. He wanted to treat you in the exact same way that your ex had, but you decided that you were done allowing this to happen.

You laid in bed that night, back turned to Rob, hoping that he would get the hint and not touch you. Apparently the spat the two of you had had that evening was still fresh in his mind as well because he stayed on his side of the bed. Never had the nights been so uncomfortable between the two of you. You wanted to keep him at a distance, but you also wanted him to love you the way he had before someone else had come along to catch his interest. You laid there restlessly that night, knowing that you were about to finally confront him. You decided however, that you would only do so when you had the chance to catch him in the act.

* * *

Again, you watched Rob get ready the next morning. You sipped on your orange juice at the dining room table as he hurried around the house. You huffed at him when you saw him grab his guitar case and some other things to make it look as if he were heading to the studio.

“Hey,” he began when he noticed that you were watching him disapprovingly, “I’ll be home by noon. I promise.” He approached you and bent down to give you a kiss, tilting your head up with his hand. You turned your face away from him at the last minute, unable to allow him to kiss you like that. Your heart ached, thinking about those lips possibly kissing someone else. He sighed heavily and settled for placing a kiss on your cheek. He lingered, obviously hurt by your rejection.

“Fine, go,” you whispered, placing a hand at his chest to push him away.

He pulled your face back to him again, now looking at you with hurt evident in his eyes. He watched for a moment before placing his forehead against yours as he exhaled deeply. Your heart stopped at his movement. He hadn’t done this in a long time. You realized now how much you had missed this little movement he always used to keep you grounded. You teared up again, recalling the times when this small gesture had kept you feeling safe and wanted.

“What is happening with us?” he murmured, eyes closed as he kept his head pressed firmly against yours.

“I don’t know,” you replied, “maybe that’s something that you need to figure out.”

Rob squeezed his eyes shut harder, obviously biting his tongue to keep from saying something. He pulled away from you and walked to the door, grabbing his keys from the coffee table.

“I don’t know what you want from me anymore,” he said, not even turning around to face you.

“I just want the same thing that you always wanted from me through this whole relationship,” you left it out there, giving him the opportunity now to be honest with you. You knew that if he could just be honest, this would be easier. You might be willing to still make this work.

“What do you mean?”

“Honesty.” There is was. You hoped that the word would get to him. You hoped that he would realize that you doubted him, that you knew he was lying.

He looked over his shoulder slightly, and you saw the same demeanor from the night before. He tensed up and gritted his teeth, and you knew that he knew you had caught on to him.

“I don’t know what to tell you Y/N, I have nothing to hide.”

Before you could even respond, he was out the door, letting is close loudly behind him.

* * *

You didn’t want to do it. It felt wrong and it made you feel bad. But you knew you had to follow him to see where he was really going. He was lying to your face and acting as if nothing was going on. You knew that he was cheating on you, the only way you would be willing to confront him about it though is if you actually caught him in the act. If you didn’t actually know who the woman was or know for an absolute fact, it was too difficult for you to be able to walk away from him. Maybe seeing her would convince you that it was a bad idea to stay.

So, you followed him that morning. You knew it wouldn’t be an easy thing to do in L.A. traffic, so you followed him the best you could from as far away as you could. He drove across town and you kept close enough so that you wouldn’t lose him. The longer you followed him, the faster your heart beat. You didn’t know if you really wanted to catch him in a lie. You didn’t know if you really wanted to know who she was. You just knew that you loved him still and you couldn’t go on knowing that he was lying to you.

Eventually, he pulled up in front of a house that you didn’t recognize. You stopped across the street, keeping some distance between you so that he hopefully wouldn’t spot you. You watched him exit his car, sans guitar or anything else. You weren’t sure what your next move was. You had originally planned on waiting for him there, seeing how long he was at this house and possibly confronting him as he was leaving. Instead, you panicked. You didn’t want to catch him afterwards or even during. You had all the proof you needed right now, it might be easier on your heart to just confront him now. Before you could even think, you were opening your car door.

You walked across the street, watching him as he continued up the walkway to the house. You considered turning around for a second, maybe to save your own heart a little bit. Almost automatically, your legs kept moving toward him without him even realizing you were behind him. Before he could make it to the first step of the porch, you heard yourself call out to him.

“Rob?” you shouted. It almost sounded as if weren’t even your own voice. You were feeling dizzy and shaky, only now understanding the seriousness of what was going on here.

Rob spun around quickly, shock crossing his face as he focused on you and finally realized who you were.

“Y/N? What are you doing here?”

“What are you doing here?” You shot back.

“I-I’m…”

“You lied to me,” you whispered, not letting him even attempt to finish.

“I can explain…”

“I talked to Billy. He said you weren’t working with the band today at all. In fact, you guys were done in the studio pretty early on most days… the same days that you kept saying you would be home late because you were tied up in the studio.”

Rob sighed heavily, letting his shoulders slump. The look on his face could only be described as defeat. You knew that look right away. He knew he had been caught and it made your blood boil.

“I’m sorry. I had to lie,” he explained, taking a step toward you.

“I’m pregnant Rob…” you backed away from him, now feeling tears well up in your eyes.

“Yeah, I know.”

“We’re engaged…”

“Again, I am well aware of what is currently going on in our lives,” he was still trying to approach you, and you continued to back away from him. You knew if he touched you, you might lose it.

“Whose house is this?”

“Briana’s. Briana lives here,” he said, almost as if he thought the name would comfort you somehow.

“Is that who you’ve been talking to on the phone every day? Every time you get a call and have to leave the room to take it… it’s her?”

“Y/N…”

“Tell me the truth!” You shouted. He looked at you, surprised by the rise in your voice.

“Okay, yes. I just couldn’t have you overhearing our conversations.”

“And, for the past few weeks, when you say you’re working… you’re here?”

“Sometimes. Sometimes we meet somewhere else.”

Just then, the front doors of the house opened and sure enough, you saw Briana step out onto the porch. She scanned the scene, looking a bit surprised to see you there.

Seeing her, listening to Rob, knowing what you knew; you couldn’t help the extreme emotions that washed over you just then. You wanted to remain civil. You didn’t want this to turn into a scene. You wanted to confront them and hopefully be able to walk away with some dignity intact. However, your emotions got the best of you. Before you knew what you were doing, you lunged at Rob. You wanted to hit him, hurt him for what he was doing to you. But your history with violence, knowing what that could do to people; left you only capable of fisting your hands in his shirt as tears streamed down your face.

“How could you do this to me?” you cried.

“Whoa, what?” Rob asked. He looked at you, genuinely confused as to what was happening.

“You’re just like him. You said you loved me. You said you’d never hurt me… You lied to me.” you sobbed now, words barely escaping as you let out every emotion that you had been feeling all at once.

“Okay, Y/N, you have to calm down,” Briana stated as she moved toward you and Rob. She gripped your hands that were still tangled in Rob’s shirt. She was trying to loosen your grip on him but you wouldn’t let go. Rob stood there, not even attempting to make you stop.

“Briana,” he said firmly, “just let her be.”

You suddenly turned your attention to Briana.

“And you…? I know we had our differences, but I thought you were my friend.”

“Sweetie, I am your friend…” she reached for you, maybe trying to embrace you… but you certainly didn’t want her near you right now.

“Don’t touch me!” you shouted as you let go of Rob. You backed away from them, still crying hard as you tried to process what was happening right now.

“Baby, what exactly do you think is going on here?” Rob asked as he stepped toward you again slowly.

You stared at him, feeling your face grow hot in anger as he continued to play dumb.

“You’re cheating on me,” you stated. Your chest tightened again as you said the words out loud.

“What?!” Rob cried out. Not only was he shocked by the accusation, he genuinely looked hurt.

“Rob, I’ve overheard some of your phone calls… you don’t come home after work… I heard you tell her that you love her.”

“I tell all of my friends that I love them.”

“Rob, just tell her,” Briana cut in.

“Baby, I’m so sorry…” Rob started, moving closer to you.

“Please,” you heard yourself beg, “why are you doing this to me? I can’t go through this again…” you cried into your hands.

You felt Rob’s hands rest on your shoulders, cautiously attempting to comfort you.

“I’m sorry I made you feel like you couldn’t trust me.”

“I can’t trust you. You lied to me. You’ve been leaving me home alone so you could be with her.”

“No, listen to me,” he cupped your face in his hands, pulling it up so that you could look at him, “I am not cheating on you.”

“You’ve got it all wrong, Y/N,” Briana added.

“Yes, we’ve been talking and meeting secretly… but it’s not what you think it is.” Rob moved slowly still, trying to pull you in to him, wrapping his arms around you protectively.

“Something is going on…” you cried. Now, you felt crazy. Here you were, accusing Rob of having an affair with one of your best friends, one of his best friends. And they were very calmly telling you that you were wrong. You thought that maybe they were just good at keeping their secret, maybe you were still right and they were still lying to you.

“Just tell her Rob…” Briana said. She stood back, watching the scene unfold with such a look of hurt on her face. “It’s not worth hiding it anymore if it makes her think that there’s something going on between us.”

You stared at her, confused by her statement. At least you were right that they were hiding something from you.

“We’ve been…” Rob stopped to find the right words. You focused on him again, still shaking and sobbing, waiting for the truth to come out. “We’ve been planning a surprise baby shower for you.”

Your stomach churned at his words. You felt your face flush in embarrassment when you realized what he was saying.

“What?” you choked out.

“It’s just… I know how upset you get by these things… these important moments,” Rob began to explain to you, “things like this get to you because you can’t have your family around, and I know that you think you’re alone. We’ve just been trying to make sure that everyone you know can be there, and it’s hard to find a time when everyone is free.”

“A baby shower?” you asked, trying to confirm what you had just heard.

“Yes, I’ve been busy for a couple of weeks, with Briana; just working on last minute things because… it’s planned for next weekend.”

“Oh, God,” you muttered. You no longer felt angry or hurt. Instead, you were extremely embarrassed. You couldn’t believe that you had accused them of this when all they were doing was planning a surprise for you.

“It’s been tough trying to get everyone together, but we’ve been trying really hard because we want to make sure that you know that you have a family. And we all love you.”

“Rob please,” you pleaded.

“I love you so much. Please understand that I would never hurt you. I’m not cheating on you.” Now he looked as if he were about to cry.

“I’m such an idiot…” you began, moving away from him again.

“No, you’re not. I can see now why all of this looked suspicious. I shouldn’t have lied, I shouldn’t have snuck around like that. I just wanted to keep it a surprise is all.”

“I’m so sorry,” you managed to say. Now you felt extremely guilty for having accused him of something so awful.

“Honey, you have nothing to be sorry for.”

“Yes, I do. I just assumed something terrible about you. I didn’t say anything when I first started feeling like you were cheating. I’m such a horrible person.”

“Y/N,” cut in Briana, “you’re not horrible. I get why you thought the worst.”

“What is wrong with me?” you cried. Not only had you accused them of having an affair, you had treated Rob so badly and yelled at Briana. You had also ruined what was probably one of the nicest things anyone has ever planned for you.

Now, Rob felt comfortable enough to approach you quickly; pulling you into a hug, holding you close to him. You let yourself cry against his chest, this time over how stupid you had been. You couldn’t believe that you had hurt him yet again over something that you knew deep down he wasn’t capable of.

“You’ve been through so much,” he reminded you, speaking quietly against your ear, “of course knowing that I was lying about something would make you think the worst. I’m sorry I put you in that position. I never want you to think that you have a reason to not trust me.”

“You can’t even plan a surprise for me without me jumping to conclusions,” you said, body still shaking against him, “this isn’t normal. I’m not okay.”

“You’ve been hurt so much,” Rob began, “but you’re okay. I’ve got you baby.”

“I’m sorry,” you apologized again as you pulled away from him.

“I know. And so am I.”

You turned to Briana, who was still standing there, watching the two of you with a distraught look on her face.

“I’m sorry I ruined everything,” you said to her. She had been planning this with Rob for some time now, both of them wanting it to be a big surprise to remind you of how much they all cared about you. in mere seconds you had swooped in and ruined everything.

“You didn’t ruin anything,” she told you, chuckling lightly, “now, you just know that we’re having a party for you and that little guy.” She stepped toward you, placing a hand on your belly. You smiled at her, comforted even more by her action.

“I’m sorry I even thought that either of you could be capable of something like that.”

“Did you really think that I would want to mess around with Rob of all people?” Briana asked. She was now smiling, trying to bring some lightheartedness to the situation. It was very much like her, wanting to make sure everyone was happy and laughing in any circumstance.

“I don’t know. I was just as surprised by the idea when I saw you.” You smiled back at her, thankful that she was attempting to ease your mind and add some cheerfulness to all of this with her jokes.

“Hey,” Rob cut in, “I am literally standing right here.”

You laughed at him, reaching to take his hand which he gladly allowed you to do. You still felt embarrassed and extremely guilty by the scene that you had just caused. Deep down, you still knew that you had messed up, there were still some issues within you that you had never had the chance to properly confront. You were still managing to hurt this man that loved you. Despite knowing that he would never treat you the same way that Chris had; you still found yourself reverting right back to your old behaviors when you felt even the slightest bit of doubt. You wondered still if you would ever be able to escape your past and how it had affected you. You questioned whether you would ever really be able to maintain a healthy relationship. You weren’t sure if any of that would ever be a possibility with you. Rob was right, you had been hurt deeply and been through so much. Maybe being normal wasn’t something that you could do. You only hoped that Rob would always be willing to stick with you through moments like these, you hoped you wouldn’t end up pushing away for good someday.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader attends her baby shower, still feeling guilty over her previous behavior. She expresses her concerns and fears to Rob, hoping that he can comfort her.

After having spent the next week recovering from your embarrassment over your false accusations against Rob and Briana, you finally had something to look forward to today. Sure, you had ruined the surprise that they had been working on for a while; but knowing that you were going to get to spend the day with Rob and all of your friends at your baby shower helped to make you feel better.

You watched Rob as he got ready, wondering how he managed to put up with you half the time. You had spent the last week apologizing and feeling terrible about things, and he continued to calmly remind you that none of that mattered anymore. He also felt terrible for sneaking around when he was well aware of your trust issues, and all he could do was remind you that he wasn’t that guy. You knew that, you had always known that. Unfortunately, the way you reacted to things often felt out of your control. You wanted to give him the trust that he deserved, but it was difficult for you to do so. 

Although Rob had been disappointed that the surprise had been ruined, he too acted excited for today. You sat on the edge of your bed, having already had quite the workout just trying to get ready for the day; and now you were attempting to put on your shoes. Rob watched you as you struggled, your very large baby bump now making it extremely difficult to accomplish certain tasks.

“Help me?” you whined as you made eye contact with him, his blue eyes watching you from behind the glasses that he chose to wear today. He smiled warmly as he moved towards you, kneeling down to slip your shoes onto your feet. As he stood back up, he leaned in to give you a kiss.

“Are you ready?” He asked as he allowed his lips to linger against yours.

“I am,” you replied, taking a moment to run your hand through his hair. He pulled back, reaching his hand out to you, helping you stand up. You wobbled slightly as you were finally on two feet, Rob holding your arm to steady you.

“You okay?” he questioned, not letting go of you until he was sure you were.

“Yeah, I’m just so huge, I can’t even keep my balance anymore.”

Rob frowned at you, “you’re not huge. You’re beautiful.”

“Aw, thanks,” you giggled, giving him a quick peck on the cheek, “you always know how to make me feel better.”

“Let’s get to Briana’s,” he insisted as he began to gather his wallet, keys, and your bag, “I’m sure everyone is probably there by now.”

“It was nice of her to do this at her place.”

“She’s happy to do it. She’s really excited for us.”

“Am I acting surprised, or does everyone know I messed it up?” you asked, scowling at yourself over having ruined the surprise in the first place.

“We just told everyone that we clued you in.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s okay. Let’s just forget all of that happened. Today is a good day.”

You nodded as he took your hand and led you out of the room toward the front door.

* * *

When you arrived at Briana’s, you were fairly surprised at seeing how many people had actually shown up for this. Luckily, her house was big enough to accommodate everyone and you couldn’t help but feel like she went too far out of her way to give you a baby shower. You were also surprised to see that it wasn’t only your girl friends in attendance, but many of the guys were there too.

You and Rob wandered into the room, hand in hand, as you took in the decorations and the number of people there. Gradually, people approached the two of you; offering hugs and congratulations. You were thrilled to see your closest friends; Kim, Ruth, Billy, Mike, Stephen, and Rich who each took the time to invite you in and check to see if you needed anything. It was nice to see many of Robs other friends, most who you had only been around when you attended conventions and who were in attendance with their wives.

When you found Briana as she was playing hostess, you made sure to approach her to thank her for everything. She pulled you into a tight hug before you could speak.

“Y/N, how are you feeling? Do you want something to drink? I’ve got food if you’re hungry.”

You couldn’t help but chuckle as she fussed over you, “I’m good for now. I just wanted to thank you for… this… everything. And I’m sorry.”

She put a hand up to quiet you, “no more apologizing,” she insisted, “it’s over, it’s in the past. And you’re welcome. I’m happy to do this for my friends.”

“I’ve never been to a baby shower before,” you stated as your eyes scanned the room filled with people, “I thought they were usually reserved for women.”

“Nah,” she shook her head, “I think it’s nice to get everyone together for things like this.”

“It is nice,” you mused, pleased with the way Briana and Rob had managed to get everyone together here to celebrate.

“Besides, this isn’t going to be a regular baby shower, just a… party for everyone to hang out and congratulate you and Rob… with gifts of course.” She added with a wink.

“Ha, more stuff?” you questioned, “not like Rob hasn’t already gone overboard with baby stuff…”

Briana laughed, “sounds like Rob. Don’t worry, I just told everyone to keep it simple.”

“Good, we don’t have room for much else.”

“You guys are good though, right?” She asked.

“Yeah, we’re really good… despite all of my crazy.”

“You’re not crazy,” she stated simply.

Briana excused herself to attend to some things and you grabbed a bottle of water before making your way back to the living room. Weaving in and out of people, occasionally being stopped to receive hugs and exchange pleasantries, you eventually made it to where you were headed. You mostly just wanted to sit as your feet were already throbbing, but were discouraged when you noticed that the couch was completely taken. You stood uncomfortably, searching the room for Rob who had disappeared.

“Need a seat?” you heard a voice call out. You turned toward the couch to see Matt standing before you could even answer him.

“I’m fine, you don’t have to do that,” you insisted.

“Are you kidding? Here, sit,” he reached for you, grasping your hand as he led you to the now free spot on the couch next to Kim. You gladly sat, relieved to finally be off your feet.

“Thanks Matt.”

Instead of wandering off now that he had given up his seat, Matt sat cross from you on the coffee table.

“So, how are you feeling?” he asked, trying to make small talk, “you’re getting closer, I bet you’re nervous.”

“Well, if I wasn’t scared before, I am now. Thanks for that,” you chuckled. Truth be told, you were extremely nervous. As each week went by and you drew closer to your due date, your anxiety built. The only thing keeping you sane at this point was Rob; even though he seemed to be more anxious than you were at times.

“Jeez Matt,” Kim cut in, turning slightly so that she could join the conversation, “way to make a girl nervous.”

Matt blushed, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to… I really was just wondering how you were feeling.”

“It’s okay,” you assured him, “I’m actually pretty good. Mostly just uncomfortable at this point, and yes… pretty nervous.”

“You’ll be fine,” Kim promised, “you and Rob, I think you two were always destined to get through things together.”

“Yeah well, we have been through a lot. It just never seems to end though.”

“You’ll get there,” chimed in Matt, “relationships are a lot of work in general, I honestly don’t know how you two have even lasted this long.”

“Oh, thanks?”

“I didn’t mean it like that. Just, you’ve gone through a lot together. A lot of people would have given up, but not you two.” He smiled warmly at you and you knew that he was right. Not many people would even be willing to work through the ins and outs of a relationship like the one you and Rob had. There were always really wonderful moments, and too often, really bad moments. But somehow, the two of you just made it work.

You smiled at him, honestly surprised by his sentiment. “Well, I think it’s because we really do love each other.”

“Good, I’m happy for both of you. And I know you’ll keep getting through whatever comes your way.”

“We try.”

You looked away from Matt when you noticed Rob had entered the room. His eyes scanned the space until he spotted you, smiling as he headed toward you with two plates of food. He handed you one when he reached you.

“I thought you might be hungry,” he explained.

You thanked him, gladly digging in now that you realized you were starving suddenly. He sat on the arm of the couch, still smiling at you as you ate.

Just then, Briana chose the moment to start in on the gifts that everyone had brought.

“Are you ready for baby presents?” She asked eagerly, a large grin spreading across her face. You were certain she was probably more excited for this part than you were. You looked over to the pile of gifts, now feeling really overwhelmed. You weren’t kidding when you told Briana that Rob had already over done it on baby stuff, the idea of adding more to it had you slightly panicked.

“Sure,” you said softly, setting your plate down hesitantly. Suddenly, all eyes were on you and you felt yourself grow even more uneasy. You had never been to a baby shower before, much less been the guest of honor at one. You weren’t sure what was expected of you or how you should act. Mostly, you wanted to leave right now. The only thing keeping you somewhat calm was Rob, who was now rubbing your back. He leaned in toward you until his face was against yours.

“Are you okay?” he whispered into your ear. He had gotten really good at sensing your uneasiness in any situation and you appreciated that.

“I think so,” you whispered back, “I’m just… not used to this kind of attention.”

“You’ll be fine,” he assured you, not letting his hand break contact with you, “these are our friends, and they’re just happy for us.”

You nodded, letting him know that you understood. You breathed in deeply, trying to shake the nervousness that you now felt over nothing. Still, Rob silently comforted you, knowing that you didn’t handle attention well.

You made your way through the pile of gifts that everyone had brought, growing more relaxed as time passed. Amid the laughter and conversation, you realized that you were no longer uncomfortable being the center of attention, at least not with this group. Most of them had gifted cute baby clothes; many of which referenced Supernatural, and the band had gotten together and had tiny Louden Swain onesies made for the baby. When you had finally finished opening everything, you looked around at everyone; grateful to have them in your life. While Rob had worked hard at obtaining all of the necessary items for a new baby, these people had proved to be sentimental and thoughtful in their gifts.

“Thank you all,” you said as you began to feel yourself tear up, “this has been… so amazing.”

“Yeah guys,” Rob added, “we really appreciate everything.”

“And Briana, thank you for putting this all together and letting us hang out at your house.”

“It’s my pleasure,” she smiled.

“Really, I…” you weren’t sure if it was a good time to get sentimental, but your emotions were already taking over, “I don’t have a family, and I’ve been on my own for a long time… to have all of you be here for us, despite everything that has gone on in our relationship… Rob and I are just, so grateful.”

“Hey, I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again,” Kim spoke up, “you do have a family.”

You smiled again as you looked down at your belly. You still hadn’t learned how to be accepting of this group referring to you as part of their family. Often, you felt like you didn’t deserve it. However, you knew that no matter what, your son would at least be loved by them.

* * *

A couple of hours later; after more conversation had been exchanged, guests began to leave, and gifts had been eventually been packed into the car; you thanked Briana again as you and Rob decided to head home. It had been a busy day… an emotional day, and you were feeling exhausted and still slightly overwhelmed.

Rob helped you into the car before taking his place in the driver’s seat.

“That was really nice, Rob,” you ran a hand through his hair, leaning in slightly toward him. He moved in to kiss you and you melted at the feel of his lips on yours.

“I’m glad you had a good time,” he said, “I could tell you were a little anxious at first, but I think you did really well.”

“It’s just still hard for me to have attention like that, but I really do appreciate all that you and Bri did.”

“Anything for my girl.” He gave you another quick kiss before starting the car.

* * *

When you finally made it home, you both decided that the gifts could wait for the morning. The baby shower had lasted a long time, and you were both visibly tired as you walked into the house.

“Do you need anything?” Rob asked as he followed you to the bedroom.

“Sleep!” you cried out dramatically. He chuckled as you immediately went right for the dresser, pulling out pajamas and changing quickly.

“Sounds good to me,” Rob agreed.

You were already under the covers, getting comfortable as he got ready for bed.

When he was finally changed, he crawled under the covers next to you and you sat up so that he could rest his arm under your head. He wrapped his arm around you, pulling you in close to him and you felt all of your anxieties from the day disappear. This was it. This was all you ever needed. Just Rob, holding you and feeling safe in his arms. You sighed as you snuggled in to him as close as you could.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” You didn’t look up at him as you asked, you wanted to stay in this safe place right now.

“What’s up?” He replied, now placing soft kisses on your forehead.

“Are you scared at all?”

Now, Rob moved back so that he could look at you and you glanced up to meet his gaze, “scared of what?”

“I don’t know… scared of being a dad I guess,” you didn’t really know how to approach the topic. It had been something that he been on your mind for some time.

“I wouldn’t say I’m scared… nervous, sure. But not scared.” He tilted his head in confusion as he kept eye contact. “Why? Are you scared?”

“Honestly? Yeah, I am.” You felt proud in this moment. This may have been one of the very few times in your relationship where you were immediately honest about anything with Rob. You weren’t sure how he would react to you admitting your fears to him, especially at this point in your pregnancy, but you had finally found that you were comfortable enough with him to express those fears.

“What are you afraid of?”

“I’m afraid that I won’t be a good mom,” you whispered. You had spent a lot of time thinking about your own childhood, about your own mother that you didn’t really know. Knowing that you had a bad habit of falling into bad situations and old ways, you often wondered if you could eventually end up like her.

“Why would you think that? You’re going to be an amazing mom.”

“But, what if I’m not. I mean… I don’t even know what it’s like to have a mom, much less be one,” you realized you were grasping onto him now, almost as if you were afraid he was going to leave you as you expressed your concern to him. “What if, me not having my mom around when I was a kid, makes me become a bad one.”

“Honey, are you kidding me? Everything that you’ve ever gone through has not made you a bad person. You’ve been hurt, but you still know how to love. You’ve been alone for so long, but you still let people in. Not having your own mom around isn’t going to make you a bad parent. If anything, I think all of that is going to make you love our son even more.”

“I already do,” you added, “love him, I mean.”

“I know you do. And think of it this way, did you ever stop loving me because of what you had been through with your ex?”

“No…” you trailed off, wondering what he was getting at.

“See? Just because you’ve been through things that are difficult, it doesn’t mean that you are incapable of love. Your mom bailing on you… isn’t going to determine how you will be as a mother.”

You stared at him for a moment, grateful for his words. If anything in the world could calm you or ease you mind, it was him. It was always him. He was right of course, you spent so much time thinking that your past determined the outcome of your future, you failed to realize that you were very wrong. You had always thought you were destined for loneliness, pain, and fear… but here you were; very much in love and very secure, so close to having a real family.

“I promise you, we’re in this together,” he added, “I love you so much and I am not going anywhere, I won’t let you do this alone.”

“Thank you,” you said, leaning in to kiss him. He gladly met you halfway and kissed you hard, perhaps to remind you just how much he loved you. For the first time during your pregnancy, you actually felt comfort now. Maybe it was the fact that you had openly expressed your fears honestly to him, maybe it had been his words… either way, you really felt that you were in a good place with Rob. He was willing to accept your crazy behavior over the misunderstanding from last week, knowing well enough why any of that had happened. He understood you and he understood why you reacted the way that you did to certain things. He was patient with you, something that you hadn’t experienced from anyone in a really long time. You knew from experience how difficult love was; you figured that loving someone who felt as broken as you often did, had to be the hardest thing in the world to do. Yet, here he was, doing just that.

When the kiss ended, he rested his forehead against yours as he stared into your eyes, and you couldn’t help but smile.

“I love when you do that,” you hummed appreciatively.

“Do what?”

“That… the forehead thing. You always do it when I need it most. It relaxes me.”

“Really?” he smirked, “I hadn’t realized.”


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The holidays come around and a conversation with Rob’s mother leaves the Reader with even more doubts. After a fight with Rob; a heart-to-heart with Rich may bring up some things that the Reader needs to face finally. Rob leaves the city and also leaves the Reader in a scary situation.

It seemed as though the holidays came along quickly after the baby shower. Before you knew it, you and Rob were spending Thanksgiving with his family in L.A. They had been wonderful to you so far; staying very involved with plans for the baby and the wedding, calling often to check up on you, and going out of their way to include you and make sure that you knew you were now a part of their family. You always felt very relaxed and calm around them; but something about the holidays seemed to draw out the worst in people, and in turn, they also drew out the anxiety that you constantly struggled with.

Thanksgiving dinner had not been the usual casual conversation that you often engaged in with Rob and his family. Maybe it was the stress of the holidays, or the fact that you were getting so close to your due date; but dinner that day had you a bundle of nerves. 

You sat at the dinner table, eating to your hearts content as you never seemed to feel full anymore, listening quietly to the conversation going on between Rob and his family. His mother had made it very clear that the two of you needed to have a name picked out soon, something that the two of you hadn’t even discussed previously. That’s not to say that you hadn’t skimmed through baby name books, trying to decide which name might work on your own. You had no idea if Rob had even thought about it. Honestly, you sort of assumed that the name would come after the baby did. You figured you’d know his name once you finally met him. Rob’s mother felt differently. You remained quiet as she spouted off random names; some that were family names, trying to give you ideas on what you should pick. Rob argued calmly, reminding her that this was a decision that the two of you would make, and it was something that you would do on your own time.

When the discussion about baby names died down, you moved on to dessert after what felt like hours of listening to them argue. Grateful for your dessert, you remained quiet as you ate, occasionally smiling at Rob’s sister who seemed to be the only one checking in on you.

For some reason, this dinner had been awkward from the beginning. Rob’s mother often fussed over you; making sure you were well fed and always asking if Rob was taking care of you. Today however, she seemed to be most interested in arguing. As you worked on your second slice of pumpkin pie, she and Rob began to discuss wedding details. She hadn’t been thrilled with the choice of date in the first place, stating that April was too soon to get married when you have a baby coming in January. Although you and Rob had officially set the date and already booked a venue; she remained persistent in the fact that the date should be changed.

“We can’t change it now, we already have a venue and invitations will be sent out soon,” Rob muttered in between bites of his food.

“Y/N,” she turned toward you, catching your attention as you had just shoveled a large bite into your mouth, “you can’t possibly want to get married so soon after giving birth. Can you imagine what a wedding will be like with a baby who is barely 4 months old?”

You chewed quickly, swallowing hard so you could answer her question, “I guess I hadn’t thought about it like that…”

“Y/N?” Rob questioned you, “please don’t. Everything will be fine, don’t let her make you second guess the date.” He chuckled as he continued to eat, obviously amused by his mother’s concern. You however, were not amused.

“I just don’t understand why it had to be that date. Why don’t you want to wait a little bit longer? A summer wedding would have been just as nice.”

“We picked the date because it’s the day we met. We’ll have been together for a year.” You eyed her, slightly annoyed that she was questioning your choices at all.

“Exactly, it will be your one-year anniversary of dating. Although, can you really call it that when you spent so many months separated?” She looked at you with concern. You felt your face grow hot at her words. You knew she meant no harm by it, she really was just looking out for the two of you; mostly for Rob.

Rob must have noticed your irritation over her choice of wording, so he jumped in quickly to save you, “it doesn’t matter,” he told her calmly. “The date is set and plans are made, we’re not changing anything.”

Rob’s mother threw her hands up in defeat, “fine, it’s your lives, it’s your day… I won’t try to talk you out of it.”

“Thank you,” Rob replied, offering her a smile.

“I do hope you’ll think about names for my grandson though. He’ll be here before you know it, and you’re already unprepared as it is.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Rob asked, now beginning to look frustrated by her meddling.

“Well, obviously you didn’t plan for any of this to happen, you have no idea what having a baby entails.” She said matter-of-factly.

“I think we can handle it, we’re adults.”

“Adults who made really bad decisions.”

“Mom, please…”

“I’m not saying that you won’t adapt. But you have to admit, all of this was really messy for a long time there. Everything happened too fast between you two, I just want to be sure you’re not doing all of this because you feel like you have to.”

“We love each other.” Now Rob just seemed to be annoyed even more. “Isn’t that enough?”

“There’s so much more to relationships than just being in love. And being parents, you have no idea what that is going to be like.”

“I think we’ll figure it all out,” you finally added, feeling the need to join the conversation that you had been left out of, “we always do.”

“Yeah, well, just wait and see what it’s going to be like having a wedding with a 4 month old,” she replied, “you’re both going to be so tired and stressed… adding a wedding to that… I just don’t think you’ve thought any of this through. I worry about you,” she said, looking directly at Rob.

“Well, just leave the not thinking to us. Then you won’t have to worry so much.” Rob turned toward you as you watched the repartee between the two of them, still feeling slightly irritated. He shot you a wink as he smiled.

At least Rob knew how to handle his mother, which he continued to do after dessert was had and you had all moved into the living room to relax. You had to admit, her questions and concerns right now were definitely not things that you had heard her bring up in the past. The fact that she was just now voicing them left you feeling a bit uneasy. Maybe she wasn’t as accepting of your relationship as you had thought she was. The fact that she was insistent on letting you both know that she thought you were rushing into marriage too soon definitely made you question it as well. Were you rushing into it? Sure, you and Rob had moved very quickly in your relationship, but now you thought back to the moment that he proposed to you and how you had hesitated. You only said yes to spare his feelings. Yes, you had answered him with confidence later on, really feeling like you were making the right decision; but maybe your hesitation had really been how you were feeling all along.

Before you could sink too low in your self-doubt, Rob announced that he was taking you home. It had been a long day and you were tired.

“You sure you don’t want to stay for a bit longer? It’s still early,” his sister chimed in.

“Dinner was wonderful, the conversation was… interesting, but my poor girl is pretty exhausted.” You were grateful that Rob was insistent on taking you home. Not only were you generally tired from just being pregnant, but his mother’s arguments had left you drained. You still had so much going on in your mind, you knew you couldn’t handle much more. You took his hand eagerly as he held it out for you, helping you stand up. You quickly gathered your coats and belongings, happy to be able to leave finally.

“You don’t have to go,” his mother added as she hesitantly helped you put your coat on, “You can always rest here.”

Before you could say anything, Rob rescued you yet again, “It’s okay mom, I’m sure Y/N wants to be at home.”

“Okay, just… think about what we talked about please.”

“Yup,” Rob agreed as he began to rush you toward the door, “we’re just gonna leave now, we’ve got more bad decisions to make.”

“Oh, child…” she replied, shaking her head at him as he leaned in to give her a quick peck on the cheek.

You couldn’t help but chuckle as he returned to your side, grabbing your hand as he pulled you out the front door.

* * *

Surprisingly, it had taken a couple of week before the discussion that occurred over Thanksgiving dinner to be brought up again.

Rob never mentioned it, never once asked how you felt about it, he hadn’t even apologized for his mother’s behavior. In turn, you kept your thoughts about it to yourself. The last thing you wanted was to bring up the fact that her doubts had brought out your own previously suppressed doubts. For two weeks, you both went about your days almost pretending as if none of it had ever happened. It weighed on you; not knowing why Rob hadn’t addressed it. He seemed to have forgotten about it completely, while you remained almost consumed by it.

It was a random Tuesday afternoon when Rob decided it was time to get ready for Christmas. He had brought out the tree and decorations and the two of you worked quietly; setting up the tree and beginning to rustle through the boxes of ornaments.

“I need to get to the store today,” he muttered mostly to himself, “I don’t even have a stocking for you or anything… I hate that this is all just my stuff.”

“It’s fine Rob,” you assured him, “I never really celebrated Christmas anyway.”

“Well, you will with me,” he insisted, “it’s my favorite time of the year. Since we’re going to be married and we’ll have a son, we need to have things that are ours.”

You smiled at him as you watched him work at untangling the strings of lights; a focused scowl across his face.

“Are we ever going to talk about what happened during Thanksgiving?” It probably wasn’t the best time to bring it up. No, in fact, you knew it was a terrible time to bring it up. But the discussion still ate away at you and you didn’t think you could go another day without addressing it.

“Why would we?” He asked, eyes still focused on the task at hand.

“Because your mother brought up some good points,” you stared at him, waiting for a reaction. He still never looked at you, he only seemed to become increasingly frustrated by the tangled lights.

“No, she really didn’t.”

“Really? You don’t think she was right about a few things?”

He didn’t answer right away. Still, he fumbled with the lights and you couldn’t help but notice his frustration growing when he couldn’t untangle them.

“I mean, she was right that we maybe made some bad decisions…”

“Y/N!” You jumped as he shouted your name, definitely not used to hearing him yell at you. You felt your heart begin to pound in your chest and you hoped that his annoyance in this moment wasn’t about you. “Can we not do this again?”

“I just…”

“No!” This time, he angrily threw the lights back into the box as he stood up, “I am so tired of doing this,” he continued, “I ignored it because I know she was wrong, and I kept telling myself that you had finally gotten to the point where you would just stop questioning everything. Apparently I was wrong.”

“Why are you yelling at me?” you whispered. It had been a long time since you had heard him raise his voice at you and honestly, it never did get any easier.

“I’m not…” he stopped himself, running a hand through his messy curls before deciding how to continue. “I’m not yelling at you.” You knew he had tried to calm himself, but his voice remained at a volume that made you uncomfortable.

“Yes, you are.”

“Fine, yes, I’m yelling!”

“Why?” you shouted at him.

“Because I am just so tired of this. Every time things are going great between us, just when I think that we’ll be okay, you have to turn around and just… mess it up.”

You frowned at him, hurt by what he had to say.

“I’m not trying to mess anything up. I just think it might be good to talk about these things.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” he stood across from you, face red, voice still too loud for you to feel comfortable with, “we’ve been through all of this already.”

“She said we weren’t ready for a baby, we haven’t really thought about what being married is going to be like… what being parents is going to be like.”

“I don’t care what she said! Of course we’re not ready, we’re never going to be ready until it happens. That’s what we do… we just figure shit out when it comes. Everyone has something to say, why can’t you just let it go?”

“I- I don’t know,” you stuttered. You weren’t sure why you couldn’t just ignore it all. You knew you wanted to. You knew that you loved Rob and you knew you wanted to be with him. For some reason, you constantly questioned it though.

“It’s because you’re still unsure,” he answered for you. You looked up at him, knowing that he was right. You saw the pain in his eyes again as he fought back tears.

“I don’t know,” you said again.

“This isn’t about what she had to say,” he spoke calmly now, voice cracking as he struggled to keep it together, “this is, and always will be, about you. Because you’re still afraid and you still don’t know what you want.”

“I want you,” you mumbled, knowing that he is what you wanted, you just couldn’t stop wondering if you were making the right decisions.

“And you have to know that I want you. I always have. But, regardless of whether you love me or not…” he stopped and took a deep breath, “you still don’t know what you really want.”

You wanted to tell him that you did know what you wanted. You wanted to tell him that you wanted to marry him, start this family with him… but you couldn’t because he was right. You could tell yourself that this is all that you wanted, but you knew that you weren’t sure. It pained you to realize how unsure you were of all of this, because you loved him. You loved him so much that it scared you sometimes.

“Dammit, Y/N,” he sighed as he pressed his fingertips to the bridge of his nose in frustration, “we’re about to have a baby… we’ve got a wedding planned in a few months… why are you doing this right now?”

“I don’t know… I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

He moved, reaching for his coat from the back of the couch and rummaged through the ornaments on the coffee table until he found his keys.

“Where are you going? Why can’t we just talk about this?” You felt tears begin to fall down your cheeks, angry at yourself for even bringing this up.

“I’m going out for a bit because I can’t do this again. I’ll come back,” he promised you, reaching down to wipe the tears from your face, “but I think you just need some time to think about what you want. Because I’m just… I’m done. I don’t know what else I can even do to anymore.”

He left quickly, not looking back to you as he walked out the door. You weren’t sure what he meant by saying that he couldn’t keep doing this, but you were sure it wasn’t a good thing.

* * *

You waited around the house for hours; not sure what exactly you were waiting for. You wanted Rob to come home, but knew that you didn’t want to face him after what had just happened. He had called you out, leaving you feeling even more confused than usual.

When you became bored, you sat down on the couch, pulling out the string of lights that Rob had been struggling with. You began to untangle them calmly, doing a much better job at the task than Rob had done. After some time, you managed to work the knots out of them and began to string them on the tree, which proved to be difficult with your belly constantly bumping into things. You got through it though, bending down as well as you could to plug the lights into the outlet and stepping back to admire your work. The lights twinkled and you smiled to yourself, proud that you had been able to do something that Rob couldn’t. You sort of wanted to brag to him, just to poke fun at him; but this wasn’t the time for that.

Instead, you stood there, watching the lights for what seemed like forever while you did what Rob had requested of you. You thought long and hard about what it was that you really wanted. It was Rob, it always had been. You knew you didn’t want to ruin the one good thing you had in your life, you wanted to be able to just be content, but you found it difficult to just go through things without questioning them. Maybe having brought up the conversation from Thanksgiving wasn’t the best move, but you couldn’t help your worry about the future and Rob’s mother certainly hadn’t helped with her vocalization of her own concerns.

Before you could get too far lost in your thoughts, you heard your phone ring. It broke you out of your daze and you hurriedly looked around, trying to find it beneath the mess of Christmas lights and decorations. When you finally retrieved it, your heart sank a little to see that it wasn’t Rob calling, instead it was Rich. You really didn’t want to talk to him right now, so you ignored the call, now moving to the couch to sit and think some more.

Within seconds, your phone was ringing again, you looked at the screen and sighed heavily when you saw that it was Rich again. You figured he probably wouldn’t give up, so you hesitantly answered.

“Hey Rich.”

“Y/N, how are you?” He asked, almost too enthusiastically.

“I’m okay.”

“Really?”

“Well, I’ve been better.”

“I figured. Hey, do you have some time?”

“I am currently 8 months pregnant, stuck on the couch like a beached whale, I guess I have all the time in the world.” You laid there, not wanting to move as it took way too much effort now to do so.

“Let’s go get dinner, I assume you haven’t eaten?”

“What do you want Rich?” You asked, sighing in annoyance at his persistence.

“I just want to have a meal with my friend that I haven’t hung out with in months.”

“Then why don’t you call Rob?”

“Because Rob already called me.”

“Let me guess, he cried to you about what a terrible person I am.”

“Maybe a little…” he trailed off. Of course Rob had called him immediately. He wouldn’t talk to you about this, but he was more than happy to vent to Rich.

“Please Rich, I don’t need you to be involved in this. He shouldn’t have said anything.”

“You’re right, he shouldn’t have. He should have immediately turned around, went home to you, and fixed this shit right away.”

“It’s my fault, as usual.” You couldn’t help but take the blame for this one. Maybe if you had just kept your mouth shut and kept pretending that nothing had happened, he wouldn’t have stormed out on you.

“Hey, come on. I’ll come pick you up and we’ll go get dinner. We don’t even have to talk if you don’t want to.”

“No thanks.”

“I’m already on my way…” he insisted. He paused briefly before he spoke again, “I’m in your driveway.”

“Dammit Rich.”

“Come on. Just friends getting a bite to eat together. You seem upset.”

“You’re lucky that I am ridiculously pregnant and always starving…” You struggled to get off the couch as you spoke, making your way to the window to peer out. Sure enough, Rich was parked in the driveway, waiting for you. You chuckled lightly.

“Give me a sec,” you said before you hung up. You grabbed your coat and your purse, bounding out of the door, happy to be leaving the house for a bit.

When you got in the car, Rich looked at you, a knowing grin spread across his face.

“I hope you know this means I get to pick the restaurant,” you said.

“Whatever the lady wants, the lady gets,” he replied.

* * *

You sat across from Rich, uncomfortable as he stared at you. Instead of calling him out on his staring, you reached for the basket of breadsticks, stomach rumbling as you inhaled the aromas of the restaurant.

“This is a nice place,” Rich stated, eyes still not leaving you.

“They have the best breadsticks, and really amazing pasta. Rob brings me here once a week because I crave it so much,” your smile dropped as you recalled your many dates here with Rob.

“So, he’s pretty good to you then?”

“You know he is. He’s amazing.”

“That’s good. You deserve someone who is amazing to you.”

“What is this?” you asked, picking at a breadstick now. Rich’s eyes practically burned a hole in you and you felt nervous knowing that he knew about your fight with Rob.

“Just a dinner date with one of my besties.”

“Let me guess; Rob called you, freaking out because I literally freaked out yet again?”

“He did,” Rich nodded.

“I really don’t need a lecture right now. Not from you.”

“Who said anything about a lecture?”

You were growing increasingly irritated with him now, “Well, what do you want then?”

“I just want to enjoy your company.”

You rolled your eyes at him, knowing damn well that wasn’t was this was about.

“Look, we had another fight. All because I freak out over every little thing and I can’t just… let things happen without worrying.”

“Why is that?”

“I don’t know.”

“Look, I know that you’ve been through a lot. I don’t know details; just whatever you’ve said… whatever Rob has said… and I know that it hasn’t been easy. I mean, I saw what your ex did to you, and it honestly scared the shit out of me. I didn’t realize until that moment just how crappy you’ve had it.” He was no longer coming across as the over-involved best friend, now he looked at you with sympathy in his eyes. You hated that your friends and Rob had to share that memory of what had happened in Chicago; you didn’t even want to have that memory for yourself.

“I’m sorry you had to see that. Really though, it wasn’t anything that I haven’t already been through with him.”

“See, you’ve been in a bad place, for a long time it seems. I can’t imagine what it must be like to go from a relationship like that, to one where a guy actually treats you pretty decent.”

“Rob treats me better than anyone ever has.”

“And then to get knocked up right away, break up with the guy, and end up back together… you’ve had a pretty wild ride.”

“Yeah, we have.”

“No, not you and Rob… you.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” you said shaking your head, confused now by where this was going.

“Look, yeah, Rob has gone through some of it with you; but at the end of the day, those are all your scars that you have to live with.”

You glared at him, unsure of what exactly he was getting at.

“Yes, you’ve gone through hell together,” he continued, “and you come out of it obviously still crazy about each other. But in reality; you’re the one who’s had the worst of it. Rob being good to you and loving you doesn’t change what you went through before he happened.”

“I thought there wasn’t going to be a lecture,” you scoffed. You really didn’t want to bring up the past right now and only wanted to steer the conversation away from it.

“That’s not what this is. I’m not telling you to suck it up and go back and apologize to him for what happened.”

“But I should, right?”

“Hell no. Don’t apologize. You have nothing to apologize for. He does.”

You let out a heavy sigh, “Rich, I literally accused him of cheating on me… with Briana, because they were planning my baby shower in secret. I just sat there today and told him that I was having second thoughts about being a mom… being a wife. His mom brought up some things during Thanksgiving… she was probably the only one willing to express the concerns that she had. What really got to me, is that he didn’t even bring the discussion up later, he just pushed it aside as if it wasn’t anything that needed to be talked about.”

“But you did think it needed to be brought up.”

“That’s his mom, she obviously had some concerns, how can that not be important to talk about?”

“Because her concerns are hers, she has nothing to do with what goes on in your relationship.”

“Then, why did I even bring it up? Why can’t I just let shit go?” You weren’t really questioning him right now, it was a general observation you were making for your own behavior. “I deserved to be yelled at,” you mumbled.

“How was any of that so bad that you think you deserved to be yelled at?”

“Because that’s not Rob. None of that is him. He wouldn’t cheat, he didn’t deserve for me to tell him that I was questioning things. Not at this point.”

“Can I ask you something?” Rich leaned in now, resting his elbows on top of the table as his eyes searched yours.

“Shoot.”

“Why were you so sure he was cheating? Why were you feeling so much doubt today?”

You thought hard about his questions for a moment, trying to explain your answers to yourself before you said them out loud. In reality, you didn’t even understand why you thought the things that you did or even why you reacted the way you did. “Because… because I’ve been cheated on before. I really, honestly thought he was cheating. And I couldn’t go through that again. And today, it was just a dumb conversation he had with his mom a couple of weeks ago… I don’t know. I’m scared.”

“Why are you scared?”

“I’m scared that we are moving too fast. I mean, the baby… this is happening no matter what. But getting married so soon, it’s just, a lot to take in.” You took a deep breath, wondering if you had indulged Rich with too much information.

“You’re scared to marry him?”

“No. I love him. But… I think it scares me to love him. I just… I don’t know.” This had been the first time you shared your feelings out loud. You blushed, now feeling like this was the point where you had actually overstepped. Your fear of actually being in love was not something that you had even shared with Rob.

“Are you afraid of loving him because you know what it is to love someone who does nothing but hurt you?”

“Rich, please,” you shook your head at him, trying to end the conversation. It had become uncomfortable, but the man didn’t give up.

“Just a question.” He sat back in his chair just as your food arrived. You both waited quietly as the waitress placed your plates of food in front of each of you, thanking her before she walked away.

“I’m afraid because I know that eventually, he’ll realize that I’m not worth it… that I’m just too damaged.”

“You still believe that? Even after everything you’ve gone through?”

“I don’t know what I believe. I just know that I’m ruining the only good thig that I’ve ever had in my life, and I don’t know why.” You didn’t know why you were so uncomfortable right now but still okay with telling Rich all of this. Realizing that you had kept a lot bottled up, it still felt good to have someone to talk to who actually seemed to listen to you. While you didn’t want to necessarily share all of the downfalls in your relationship with Rob, the feelings still flowed off your tongue as you answered Rich’s questions.

“You sure that you don’t know why?”

“I do know why. I’m just…” you paused, studying his face for the possibility that he might be judging you. But, he only remained focused on you, as if he were generally interested in what you had to say, “I’m… scared.”

“Okay, you’re scared of other people being right. You’re convinced that you’re making bad decisions because people around you think that you are.”

“No… it’s not really that,” you broke eye contact, poking at the pasta in front of you mindlessly.

“Okay then, you’re afraid to let yourself be happy.”

You looked up at him, caught off guard by his words. That hadn’t been what you were thinking, but for some reason; hearing him say it out loud did make you think.

“You think you don’t deserve happiness and security because you’ve been told your entire life that you don’t deserve those things,” he continued, speaking very matter-of-factually, “So, you’re afraid to ignore the doubts and concerns that other people have about all of this because… what if they’re right? You’re afraid that if you just ignore it all like you really want to and just allow yourself to be with him, like you know you should be; then you’re moving out of your own comfort zone and making yourself vulnerable again.”

“To what?”

“Only you know. More heartache? More pain…? All of the things that you’re used to that you don’t want to be used to anymore.”

You stared at him, honestly thrown off by how accurate he was.

“It’s hard to get out of that mindset. I try, but it’s like it’s just something I can’t leave behind. It’s hard to not question the good things, because… you’re right, I spent so much time going through the bad. I really don’t mean to be this way. I wish I could just be normal, you know? But, I feel like I need to have this constant reminder that I am wanted, that things will be okay… and I know that’s not normal.”

“Well, if it’s what you need to help you feel secure, then that’s what he should give you.”

“It’s got to be annoying, I even annoy myself with it.”

“You know he loves you, even when he storms off and doesn’t want to listen to you second-guess everything. The thing is, he’s really good at loving you for how amazing you are, but he has to learn how to love you when you’re at your worst.”

You chuckled, “which is more often than not.”

Rich shrugged, an amused smile on his face, “well, I’m just saying; he knows what you’ve been through, hell, he witnessed it… he’s my best friend and I should always be on his side, but even I know that he has to be willing to listen to you no matter how annoying you are.”

“Gee, thanks,” you laughed, grateful at how Rich still managed to keep the mood light despite the heaviness of the discussion.

“Really, he offered you that willingness to constantly reassure you when he got you back; he has to continue to do that… if that’s what you need.”

“Jesus… you’re pretty spot on there, Dr. Phil.” You watched him as he finally took a bite of his food, wondering how the hell he knew so much about you and what you were going through internally. “You know, you probably get me better than anyone does. You’re right about all of that.”

“Do you ever think about telling him the things that I already know?”

“I try. It usually ends up with him getting pissed and walking out.”

“Hmm…” he mused, narrowing his eyes ad he pretended to consider the reason, “I wonder why?”

“Probably because the minute I bring shit up, he immediately assumes that I’m about to run out on him again. Can you blame him?”

“Bingo,” he smiled, pointing a finger at you and winking as if you had just found the answer to the puzzle.

“And you know this?”

“He’s my best friend, I know more than I want to half the time.”

“If he would just stop and listen, he’d know that I’m not trying to do that,” you were growing frustrated again as you explained this to Rich, the same thing that you wish you could tell Rob.

“Then why even bother bringing things up if you know that he panics?”

“I don’t know. I guess I just want someone who will…” you searched your mind for what you wanted to say.

“Listen?”

“Yes! I’ve never had someone to just, hear me.”

“You two are a lot more alike than you think.”

“Oh?” you raised an eyebrow, now just amused by the conversation.

“Maybe, the way that you feel like you need constant reassurance that he’s not going to treat you like shit and cheat on you… I don’t know, maybe he needs the same thing.”

You slumped back in your chair, hit by the bluntness of his words, “I never considered that.” It was true. You knew enough about Rob’s last relationship to know that he hadn’t left it unscathed as well. It wasn’t very similar to your own situation, but the man had been hurt deeply. You realized then why he panicked so often when you questioned him and his motives. He was afraid that you were going to leave him again.

“Well, neither has he. I mean, you’ve both gotten better at communicating with each other, but there’s always room for improvement.”

“How did you get to be so good at giving advice?” you asked, still amazed at how he had figured you out over dinner when you hadn’t even figured yourself out during your entire life.

“I’ve been married for a long time,” he replied.

You chuckled at him, “you’re a really good friend, you know that?”

“What can I say? While I should be on Rob’s side, I really do like you. I like the two of you together.”

“Stop,” you felt yourself blush again. You often got embarrassed at how his friends treated the two of you as if you were a perfect couple, because you were far from it.

“No, really. I remember when the two of you met in that hotel lobby. He chased you down with that guitar that you forgot. I watched him as he talked to you; which was weird because he’s not good at approaching beautiful women.”

“I remember too,” you added, smiling now as you recalled the first time you laid eyes on him, “he was so awkward and adorable.”

“He came back with the biggest smile on his face, and he told me right away that he thought that he had just met ‘the one’.” Rich watched you as he retold the story.

“No he didn’t,” you argued, thinking it was impossible that Rob could have really known right away.

“Cross my heart,” Rich promised, face stoic as he did the hand movements across his chest. “He talked about you that whole weekend. And then I actually saw the two of you together and… I hadn’t seen him that happy in years. And I saw the way you looked at him. I believe him when he proposed to you and told you that it had always been you. Because it was… always you.”

You felt yourself crying now, deeply touched by Rich’s statement. You knew most of this, but to know that Rob had confided in his friend about falling on love with you… it made you realize that you often questioned Rob’s intentions for no reason. Rich reached across the table, taking your hand as he kept eye contact.

“By the time we left Nashville on that Monday, he was already saying that he was in love.”

You swallowed hard, trying to fight back the urge to sob as Rich spoke.

“And here I am, consistently doing what I can to fuck it up,” you choked out.

“No, you’re not. Because I know you feel just as strongly about him as he does about you. I know this because you jumped right into this relationship even though you hadn’t even completely removed yourself from a really shitty situation.”

“Thank you,” you whispered, squeezing his hand that still help tightly onto yours. “I don’t know what I did to deserve such amazing people in my life right now, but I’ll take it.”

* * *

When Rich drove you home, you were slightly surprised to see that Rob was already there. You hesitated in your seat after Rich stopped the car to let you out. You had a good idea of what needed to be done, but the follow through is was what had you nervous.

“You’ll be okay,” Rich offered, rubbing your arm to reassure you, “the two of you always are.”

“Thanks again,” you smiled softly, “I just hope he actually listens this time.”

“Just, go easy on him.”

You leaned in and gave Rich a hug, allowing him to kiss you quickly on the forehead as you pulled away. You got out of the car and waved as he left, waiting until you couldn’t see his car anymore before you decided to head in to the house.

When you walked in the front door, you saw Rob sitting on the floor in front of the tree. He wasn’t doing anything, just sort of staring off. You kicked your shoes off and made your way toward him, standing next to him as he didn’t so much as glance up at you. You sighed as you knelt down, trying to find an easy way to sit next to him. When you finally plopped down, ungracefully, you leaned into him, resting your head against his shoulder. You weren’t sure what you expected exactly, but it sort of caught you by surprise when he, in turn, rested his head against yours.

“You untangled the lights,” he stated, still staring at the tree.

“I did, and hung them all by myself,” you said proudly.

“Impressive.”

“Thanks.”

“You were with Rich?” he asked flatly.

“I was. He took me to dinner. He assumed I was upset because… someone called him to vent about a fight with his girlfriend or something.”

Rob turned to face you, “Sometimes it’s just really hard to talk to you.”

“I know. I was schooled tonight in that very subject.”

“What did he say?”

“Just the truth,” you turned your body so that you could face him slightly, “you have to know that just because I question things or second-guess us, it doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere. I’ve done that before, and it didn’t make me happy.”

“Yeah, Rich reminded me that sometimes you might just need extra reminders that I love you and that I’m doing my best to make sure things are okay between us.”

“Ha! He told me the same thing about myself…” you stared off at the tree now, watching the bright glowing lights, “he also reminded me that you might need the same thing.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, just reminders occasionally that I’m in this with you, even when I freak out.”

“That’s good. He’s right. We both have our hang-ups.”

“Sometimes I forget that you’ve been through tough things as well, which is why you panic when I do because you’re just as afraid as I am. Even if you don’t always show it.” He only nodded at your statement.

“What else did he say to you,” you asked.

“Just that you and I are acting like children,” he laughed, “which pissed him off because he’s got three kids of his own and he feels like doesn’t need to be bothered with two adult children who can’t seem to communicate on their own.”

“Fair,” you laughed along with him. “We’ll do better though. We haven’t even been together for a year yet, we’ll get there.”

“We will. I believe that.”

You glanced down at the bags surrounding the two of you. Obviously Rob had done some shopping while he was gone.

“What did you get?” you asked as you began to rummage through the items in the bags.

“Just some Christmas stuff,” he replied as he watched you, “I said we needed stuff that belonged to both of us.”

You pulled out various decorations, a couple of Christmas mugs that Rob insisted were to be used for hot cocoa, and three matching stockings.

“You got three?” you asked as you held them up to get a better look.

“Well, there will be three of us very soon.”

“You know he’s not going to be here until after the new year,” you reminded him, still admiring the stockings.

“Well I guess we are just extra prepared for the future for once.” You both laughed at his statement.

“This is all very sweet, thank you.” You leaned in, running your fingers along his jaw, paying extra attention to the gray patch of his beard before moving in for a kiss. He returned the kiss eagerly, leaving you basking in the moment of being shown just how much he loved you. When the kiss ended, he pressed his forehead to yours, smiling at you as you remained in a daze over how amazing that kiss had been.

“Cocoa?” he asked as he picked up the new mugs he had bought.

“You know it,” you replied, “except, I don’t think I’m going to be able to get off the floor now.”

“I’ll help you,” he said as he stood up, reaching his hands out to you.

* * *

The next couple of weeks went smoothly. You weren’t sure, but you thought your conversation with Rich really had helped you out in your relationship with Rob. Instead of feeling the need to second-guess him in some things, you found yourself becoming more open to just letting things happen the way they were supposed to. Rob, in turn, had also spent more time reminding you how much he loved you and had an easier time with facing some questions that you still had. Rich had been right; you had gotten better with communication, but you were working on it together still.

Rob had promised some of his friends, namely Misha and Jason, that he would help them out with a holiday fundraiser concert in another city just a couple hours’ drive away. He was hesitant to leave you at this point, but you knew the plans had been made a long time ago and it was for a good cause. This morning, just a few days before Christmas Eve, you managed to get Rob out the door and on his way. Not only did you look forward to the time alone without him hovering over you and constantly checking in on you, you finally had the privacy that you needed to wrap some gifts that you had gotten for him without having to worry about him peeking.

You rested for a while after seeing him off early on, waking hours later feeling more refreshed and ready for the day. You were actually excited for Christmas now, and you knew that you had gotten him some good gifts that you couldn’t wait for him to open.

You took your time; retrieving the wrapping paper and other essentials before sitting on the couch and spreading a roll of paper out across the coffee table. You worked at wrapping the gifts, nearly finished with the last one when a sharp pain radiated from your lower back to your abdomen. You gasped suddenly, at how unexpected it was; silently feeling a bit panicked. When the pain eased up after just seconds, you chalked it up to normal pregnancy pains. You were huge by this point, your body ached often, and there was no reason why a quick pain like this could be anything to worry about. You shrugged it off when it passed and returned to wrapping Rob’s gifts.

Throughout the day, the sharp pains came and went. You thought nothing of them really; not until you were in the kitchen, washing a sink full of dishes when another stabbing pain hit you. You dropped a cup that you had been washing at the suddenness of the pain, thankful that it landed back into the soapy water without breaking. This time, it stayed with you longer, actually causing you to tear up as you waited for it to pass. You thought to yourself, wondering if this is what labor pains must feel like. It was impossible, you still had weeks before you were even due; surely you must be experiencing something else.

By that evening; the pains didn’t let up. Not only were they lasting longer, but they were happening more frequently. While you had promised yourself earlier that day that you wouldn’t panic over it, right now you couldn’t help but feel a little freaked out. They were becoming more and more unbearable until you had to sit down and cry while you tried to steady your breathing.

Finally, you figured that you couldn’t keep ignoring it. Maybe you were overreacting as you tended to do, but it was to the point where you didn’t think you could handle much more. You reached for your phone as you laid on the couch after waiting out another pain that now radiated throughout your body. You instantly found Rob’s name in your contact list and shakily pressed on it, bringing the phone to your ear as you sobbed quietly waiting for him to answer.

He didn’t answer, and you didn’t bother to leave a message. Of course, he was in the middle of a concert. He wasn’t going to answer his phone right now. You looked at the time and realized that his show had started not long ago, he still had hours before he would be done. You panicked now, still searching through your contacts, weeding out people who you knew were either at the show or away for the holidays.

Another pain hit you and you cried out, clutching your stomach as you waited again for it to ease up. After what seemed like minutes rather than the normal seconds; it ended, leaving you in tears again. You continued to try to think about who you could call.

Now, you panicked as you finally came to terms with the fact that you were definitely in labor, and definitely alone.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Rob still away, the Reader goes into labor! Will Rob make it to her in time?! Probably… this is a lot less angsty than you would think.

You racked your brain, trying to think of someone that you could call to at least get you to the hospital. You couldn’t really remember who was at the show for sure and who was even still around the city. You decided to try Rob again, hoping that he might have a break at some point and could at least talk to you. You knew that hearing his voice right now would help to calm you. You let it ring for a while, still no answer. Now, you began to grow desperate. You remembered that Briana would be at the show as she was set to do a couple of songs. Of course, she couldn’t help you; but maybe if she wasn’t busy, she could at least get Rob for you. You found her number and called her. Again, no answer.

You knew that you still had time. You had read the baby books that Rob had bought, you knew that the contractions were not close enough to worry just yet. But, the idea of being alone made you worry.

You sobbed as you braced yourself for another contraction that crept up on you. You had remembered how you had read about false labor, maybe this was what was happening. The fact that you could be in labor two weeks early scared you, and you wanted this to not be real. However, even you knew better than that. This was happening and you were not prepared.

Just as the contraction began to subside, you heard your phone ring. You shakily reached for it, smiling in relief when you saw that it was Briana returning your call.

“Y/N?” she said as you answered the phone.

“I need Rob,” you breathed out, still trying to gain your composure after the last contraction.

“Let me try to find him. Is everything okay?”

“No.”

“What’s going on?” She asked worriedly. You could hear her shuffling around, the noise of the concert making it difficult to hear her voice.

“I-I think I’m in labor.”

“What?! Are you sure?”

“I’m going to assume that these are contractions. They’re getting worse.”

“Hold on…” she said, her voice muffled by the noise in the background. You could still hear her moving about and you waited for a few minutes, listening to her voice as she tried to soothe you. You knew she was trying to track Rob down, and he must have been busy because you waited for what seemed like forever by the time you finally heard his voice.

“Honey?”

“Rob!” you cried out. You were right, just hearing him helped you to relax from the state of panic you had been in. “I don’t know what to do…”

“What’s going on?” he echoed Briana’s original question.

“I think it’s time.”

“What? No! It’s not time yet!” he sounded just as panicked as you now.

“Well, your son says it is… and I can’t really control this.”

“Fuck,” he mumbled, “you need to get to the hospital. I’m going to leave now so I can get to you in time.”

“Rob, I’m scared…” you managed to say. You didn’t want to admit it out loud, but you needed him to know.

“I know honey, but it’s going to be okay. You’re both going to be okay. If I leave now I should make it to you in time. Please, get to the hospital.”

“I can’t. I need someone to take me.”

“Here, talk to Briana, I’m going to figure this out.” You could hear more shuffling as Rob handed the phone over to Briana.

“How far apart are your contractions and how long are they lasting?” she asked immediately.

“I don’t know. Maybe every ten minutes or so now. They only last about a minute, but they hurt.”

“It’s supposed to hurt, that’s a good thing. You’re still in early labor, you have time. Listen, Kim is still around, she’s not set to leave until tomorrow. Rob is talking to her, she’s going to come by and sit with you.” Briana was calm, which definitely helped to calm you more.

“Sit with me? Shouldn’t I go to the hospital?” you asked. You knew that it wasn’t time, yet the anxiety had you on edge. You couldn’t help but think about all of the ways this could go bad. You felt like you would be safer in the hospital.

“Not yet. They’ll only tell you to go home. When the contractions are about 5 minutes apart, then you want to go to the hospital. I’m going to stay on the phone with you until she gets there. Rob is leaving now.”

“He said he’d be here with me for this. I can’t do this without him, Briana. I’m scared.” You were crying again as you realized that Rob was still so far away from you. You really didn’t think you could get through this alone and you kicked yourself for allowing him to leave your side.

“Y/N, labor can go on for hours… days even. He’s only a couple of hours away, I’m trying to make sure that he gets to you in time.”

“Okay…” you relaxed with the knowledge that Rob was going to be with you in a couple of hours. “How long before Kim can get here?”

“Twenty minutes maybe. She’s not far from you.”

“Thank you,” you said again. You remained on the phone with Briana for a while, not sure of what to say; so you focused on her voice the best you could. She was still speaking soothingly to you, reminding you that you were going to be okay. She must have moved to another area of the venue because the background noises from before were nearly gone. Now, you could only hear her voice. After a few minutes of sitting in silence, you began to grow restless, hoping Kim would arrive soon.. Before you knew it, you were experiencing another contraction. You got through it again, trying hard not to cry out. When it passed, Briana remained calm, still speaking gently to you.

“I think they’re happening closer together now.” You explained, trying not to sound too concerned.

“They’re only going to keep getting closer together, and will last longer. You need to try to time them.”

“Ugh,” you whined, “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“Of course you can.”

You stood up when you thought you heard a car pull up outside, making your way to peek out of the window. Sure enough, she was there.

“Kim is here,” you told Briana, a smile forming on your lips. Thank god she had made it quickly.

“Ok, I’m going to let you go. Make sure you have everything you need, tell Kim to keep me updated, okay?”

You nodded, knowing she couldn’t actually see you nod, “Okay. Thank you Briana.”

You hung up quickly and walked to the door, pulling it open just as Kim was about to knock.

“Kim!” you cried out.

“Hey, Y/N! I was told that someone is about to have a baby.”

“Thank you for coming. I couldn’t have made it to the hospital on my own.”

“Okay, let’s calm down. I’m just supposed to be here with you until it’s time to go to the hospital.”

“I know. I’m just… kind of freaking out.”

“It’s okay. Why don’t you lie down? I’ll make you some tea and help you keep track of the contractions.”

You nodded, understanding that it would be ridiculous to go now when you were still in early labor. You didn’t know how long this stage would even go on, and really didn’t want to be turned away. You listened to Kim, making your way to the bedroom where you crawled into bed, trying to get comfortable. You closed your eyes as you steadied your breathing, feeling safer now that someone was with you finally. Moments later, Kim entered the room, bringing the tea that she had promised. You sipped it carefully, relaxing more as the warmth took over your body.

“It would be a good idea to rest as much as you can right now. How long have you been having them?”

“Since this morning. They’re gradually getting worse.”

“Okay, you’re still good though. I’ll help you keep track, then we’ll know when we should go. Hey, maybe Rob will make it back before you go into full on labor.”

“I hope so…” you mumbled as you took another sip of your tea.

* * *

The time seemed to pass slowly. You rested as much as you could, still going through contractions that gradually happened closer together and seemed to last longer. You had been checking the time in between those and closing your eyes for brief moments to sleep, keeping track of how long it would be until Rob got there. It was already late and you felt bad that Rob had to leave the show so suddenly and drive back at this time. Kim had made sure to call your doctor; since you hadn’t thought to do so at any point to let her know what was going on. Even she insisted that you wait until the contractions were closer together.

After a couple of hours of waiting at the house, you knew he should be with you soon. You watched Kim as she texted on her phone, hoping that maybe she was talking to Rob. It wasn’t until she got a phone call that you breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he would be there. You listened intently as she spoke, explaining that you were still at home; just waiting.

“He should be here soon,” she said as she hung up.

“He’s coming home?”

“Yes, he’s very close. I had to convince him not to try to meet you at the hospital just yet,” she said with a laugh.

You tried to smile, but grimaced instead as another contraction came on. Kim looked at her watch, still keeping track of the time.

“Maybe it’s time to get to the hospital now…” she announced as the contraction ended.

“But… Rob?”

“He’ll just have to meet us there,” she stood up from her spot next to you, helping you to get out of bed. “Do you have a hospital bag ready?”

“I do,” you pointed to the chair on the other side of the room where the bag sat. You hadn’t been too concerned about being that prepared, but Rob had insisted last month that it be ready, just in case. Kim helped you, arm interlocked with yours as she led you from the room. She grabbed the bag on the way out and started to bring up Rob’s number as you continued to walk.

“Where are you?” she asked calmly as the two of you headed out the door. You couldn’t hear what was being said on the other end, but you strained to listen anyway.

“Okay, you’re just going to have to meet us at the hospital now. We’re not waiting any longer.”

She hung up quickly, glancing at you with a smile, “see? He’s very close. He’ll probably be there before we even get there.”

You nodded, indicating that you understood. You were relieved for sure. The consistency of the pains you were experiencing and the intensity were overwhelming; you honestly have never felt so afraid. But you found comfort in knowing that you would be with Rob soon, he wasn’t going to miss this. While you kept telling yourself that you didn’t think you could do this, you thought for a second that maybe you could as long as he was there with you.

* * *

Just as predicted, Rob was already there when you and Kim arrived. You found him in the waiting area as you walked in. You threw your arms around him, grasping on to him tightly as if you were afraid to let him go again. He held you, apologizing in your ear over the fact that he had left town in the first place.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” you said.

“Of course, baby. I would not miss this for the world.”

It took only moments for you to check in and be admitted into a quiet room where you were quickly examined before it was determined that it was time to admit you.

You spent the following hours being fussed over, mostly by Rob who sat around with a constant look of fear on his face. It was a good feeling to have him there though; helping you to relax, taking care of you, and making you smile. He spoke softly to you, encouraging you through the whole experience. At one point, Kim had left, insisting that she leave the two of you to experience this event together. You thanked her for her help, knowing that she had a flight to catch the soon.

You tried to rest here and there, knowing that when the time finally came, you wouldn’t be resting at all. The pain had been eased, leaving you with the strange feeling of pressure when your contractions continued. At least now, it was bearable. You lay there, taking some time to think. You were still feeling nervous; not fully comprehending that this was all real. You tried to block out your usual questions and doubts; trying hard to enjoy the moment. You didn’t want your own hang ups to ruin this for you or for Rob.

During the early hours of the next morning is when things began to pick up. You were exhausted; having been unable to sleep for more than a few minutes at a time. You could see in Rob’s face that he was just as tired. The poor man was so anxious and busy caring for you that he hadn’t rested either. You noticed the contractions had become a lot more powerful and happening every few minutes. The nurses buzzed around you, checking vitals before your doctor arrived. She examined you, letting you know that your water had broke, which you weren’t even aware of.

“It’s time,’ she smiled at you as she began to prep you finally.

You swear you stopped breathing for a moment, now overcome with anxiety as you realized that you were soon going to be a mother. Normally, you would panic; berating yourself over what a terrible mom you would be. But, looking at Rob who only looked at you with adoration pushed those thoughts aside. You were going to be okay as long as you had him.

You did as you were instructed, focusing on pushing when the doctor told you to. You could feel Rob next to you; holding your hand as you gripped it tightly, his forehead pressed against your temple as he continued to speak softly to you. Occasionally, he would move his hand to your face, running his fingertips along your skin which was surprisingly calming considering what was going on.

“He’s almost here, Y/N,” the doctor said to you warmly, “you’ve just got to push a couple more times.”

You nodded your understanding, waiting for her to direct you. You listened to her, focusing on breathing properly. As you pushed again, gripping harder onto Rob’s hand, the pressure you had been feeling let up. You breathed hard, steadying yourself as you prepared to push again. Instead, you looked down, waiting for the doctor to tell you what to do, only to see her already holding your baby. Almost as soon as you noticed that he was here, the room was filled with the sound of his crying. He was loud and you knew that this was a good thing. You fell back, resting your head against the pillow, still trying to catch your breath.

Moments later, the doctor placed your son directly on your chest and you gasped in surprise. You stared at him in shock for a moment before you carefully brought your hand up to touch him. Now, you were crying. You were overwhelmed suddenly by the intense emotions coursing through you. Relief, fear, happiness… all at once consuming you in a way that you had never felt before. You focused on him, watching his tiny features, making sure that he was okay. The rest of the world seemed to disappear for a moment. You had spent a lot of time questioning whether you could handle being a mother; and regretfully, you had secretly questioned whether you could actually love your child. You blamed your own childhood for that of course. You felt that since your own mother hadn’t loved you enough to stick around, perhaps it was embedded in your DNA to be unable to love your own children. In this moment though, you knew that you had been wrong. You had never imagined that you could love someone so powerfully after just meeting them. You were so focused on your baby that you hadn’t even heard the doctor ask Rob if he wanted to cut the cord, you only watched nervously as he did so; his own eyes filled with fear.

You then moved to focus on Rob for a moment. You watched him as his face lit up; that amazing smile coming through as he looked at your baby in awe. He too had finally reached out to touch him and you wondered what emotions he was going through. Just as you hadn’t imagined that you could love someone that you just met, you also didn’t realize it would be possible to love Rob any more than you already did, but right now, you felt as if you were falling in love all over again.

Almost as soon as the baby had been handed over to you, he was whisked away by the nurse. You watched intently for a moment until you realized that she was only cleaning him up and checking on him. You relaxed again, turning back to Rob as he glanced down at you, still grinning.

“He’s here…” he said in disbelief, “you did so well honey.”

He leaned in to give you a long kiss, lingering as you both felt overwhelming love for each other in this moment.

“I love you Benedict,” you said when the kiss ended. He stared into your eyes, running a hand across your forehead.

“I love you too.”


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baby Benedict is here! Just in time for the holidays… but why can’t life for the Reader and Rob just go smoothly for once?

The excitement of the delivery had ended; he had been checked on by the nurses and doctor, who happily assured you that he was perfect. You had breathed a sigh of relief when they told you he was healthy and strong. For once, everything was as it should be.

Holding your son was an experience that you couldn’t fathom. Never had you thought that you would ever be a mother; in the past, it wasn’t an option for you. Now, here you were; holding this tiny baby, reveling in the moment with the man that you were crazy about. You weren’t sure how it was possible to filled with so much love in one moment, but you decided not to question it for once. You cradled him, amazed at how little he was and how he was already able to capture your heart. Occasionally, you’d pull him up closer to you so that you could nuzzle against the soft skin of his face.

“We should probably pick a name,” Rob said as he leaned against you, carefully reaching over to hold onto the baby’s tiny hand. You watched him with adoration, finally feeling as if everything in your life had fallen into place.

“Should’ve listened to your mother,” you chuckled.

“Any ideas?” He asked, not breaking his gaze that he had on his new son.

“I had a few… but I want to know if you had any ideas.”

“I didn’t have any ideas, but now that we’ve met him…” Rob began, “I think he looks like a Jackson.”

You glanced up at him quickly, “That was my grandpa’s name.”

“Yeah, I know,” Rob grinned at you, “I think it’s a good name, from a good man. What were you thinking?”

“You knew that was my choice… I don’t know how you knew, but you did,” you smiled at him, unsure of how he guessed that this was the name you had wanted all along.

“I know you better than you think I do,” he shrugged.

“Well,” you began, “since you _technically_ picked his first name, I get to pick his middle name.”

“By all means.”

“Richard.”

Rob cocked his head, squinting his eyes in a curious manner, “Richard?”

“Yeah… I mean, Rich is a really good friend, to both of us. I don’t know that you and I would’ve ended up at this point if it weren’t for him sometimes.”

He chuckled, “you know you’re going to inflate his ego, right?”

You laughed along with him, “maybe, but if you think about it, would any of this have worked out the way that it has if Rich hadn’t been so involved?”

“You’re right,” he agreed, “I think he’s been the voice of reason for most of the things we’ve gone through. I like it. I think that’s a great middle name.”

You sat quietly for a while, still just taking in the moment of having your son here finally. You realized after a while that you had been holding Jackson for a long time, not even giving Rob the opportunity to bond with him.

“Here,” you said as you sat up, holding your son out toward Rob to indicate that it was his turn.

His eyes grew wide as he instinctively reached over to take him. “Really?” he sputtered.

“Uh, well, I hope you were planning to hold him at some point.”

“Yeah, I just… I don’t want to mess this up,” he managed to get a hold of him, cradling him close to his body carefully. Rob was definitely a bundle of nerves suddenly, and you could see the anxiety in his eyes as he awkwardly held your son for the first time. It was almost as if he were afraid to break him.

“You won’t mess up,” you reassured him, “just relax, he likes to be held close.”

Rob glanced at you and you smiled. He turned his attention back to Jackson, now cautiously readjusting him in his arms so that he was holding him more naturally. Once he had him, you could see the anxiety in his eyes dissipate as he very easily slipped into father mode.

“See, you’re a natural.”

Rob looked at you again, blue eyes wide, a smile plastered on his face.

* * *

Throughout the day you had many visitors. Rob’s mother and sister had stopped by of course, each taking turns holding Jackson and fussing over him.

“When do you get to go home with this sweet little man?” Rob’s mother asked.

“Tomorrow,” you replied, “everything went so well and he’s healthy. We only have to stay today.”

“What a wonderful Christmas Eve gift,” his sister chimed in.

“Yes, we’re excited to be home with him for the holidays,” Rob added.

After a few hours, they left and Rich and Briana arrived.

“Where’s that baby?!” Briana squealed as she walked into the room. You laughed at her excitement, looking to Rob who was still holding him. Briana reached out eagerly and Rob wasted no time in handing him over.

“Calm down, Bri. You’re gonna scare him,” Rob scolded her, watching carefully as she took him.

Briana cooed at him as she held him in her arms, Rich standing off to the side as he snickered at her.

“Hey,” Rich began, “you have a handsome little guy here.”

“Thanks,” you said.

Rich and Briana finally sat, Briana still cuddling Jackson.

“So, you’re good?” Rich asked, “Everything went well and everyone is healthy?”

“We’re all great,” Rob replied, “Y/N did amazing and Jackson is doing great.”

“Jackson?” Rich said, “I like it. Strong name. Is it a family name?”

“Yeah, it is. It was my grandpa’s name,” you explained.

“Jackson Benedict…” Rich mused, “that’s a mouthful for sure.”

“It’s a sweet name,” Briana added as she continued to hold Jackson.

“Well, his middle name isn’t much shorter either.” Rob added.

“Let’s hear it.”

“Richard,” you answered simply, waiting for his response.

“Is that a family name too…? Because it’s very similar to my name.”

You laughed softly, shaking your head, “It is a family name actually,” you said, “we named him after you.”

Rich stared at you for a moment. You could almost see a hint of disbelief in his eyes, but he managed to remain stoic as he usually did.

“Why would you name him after me?” he asked finally. You felt your heart drop. Maybe you had crossed a line somehow by picking the name. Maybe Rich didn’t like the idea at all.

“Um, well, because you’re family too…” you began, “and you played a big part in our lives together.”

He raised a brow as if to question you.

“Come on Rich,” Rob finally cut in, “if it hadn’t been for you pushing me into pursuing her, we might not have ended up together. I mean, you helped us both out through some really tough spots in this relationship.”

“You brought me to the hospital when I was sick,” you reminded him, “and you always talked sense into me when I was scared.”

Rich bowed his head as you spoke and you really felt like you had upset him.

“I’m sorry… I thought you’d like it,” you whispered.

“I do,” he replied after a minute, “I am really flattered. It means a lot to me.” He finally looked up at the two of you and you were surprised to see his indifferent expression replaced with a smile. You could see his eyes begin to tear up slightly, but he sniffled and breathed out in an attempt to make it less noticeable.

“Don’t make it weird, man,” Rob said when he too noticed Rich getting a bit emotional.

“Hey, my best friends decide to name their kid after me, I’m probably gonna cry,” he said, shooting you a smile. “Really though, it means a lot.”

Rich turned to Briana quickly to keep himself from actually crying, “It’s my turn,” he stated, now holding his arms out to take the baby.

“Get your own baby,” Briana argued, turning her body away from him with a laugh. After the joking had ended, Briana placed him in Rich’s arms. Rich stared down at him, a soft smile still on his face.

“He’s definitely a good-looking kid, must get it from his mom,” he glanced up and shot you a playful wink. You rolled your eyes at him and you looked at Rob.

“Haha, thanks,” Rob said sarcastically.

“I’m kidding,” Rich said.

“He looks just like his dad,” Briana said as she leaned in closer to look at him again, “look at those blue eyes.”

Rob beamed from where he was sitting. You couldn’t help but feel proud right now. You had a beautiful son and the man that you loved. Not to mention, amazing friends who had turned out to be your family. Every doubt or worry that you had ever had going into this had disappeared now. You didn’t find yourself wondering if you could be a mom or a wife anymore. You no longer felt like a failure and you no longer felt alone. You were finally happy.

“He’s perfect,” Briana told you as she leaned down to hand Jackson over to you. She and Rich had stayed for some time; joking, telling stories, and fussing over the baby. Now, it was getting late in the afternoon and they must have noticed how tired you were because once Briana had given your son back to you, they were both gathering their things to leave. Briana was the first to hug you, careful not to squeeze the baby.

“Thank you,” you said, hugging her back, “thank you for everything.”

Rich leaned in as well, placing a kiss to the top of your head. “You two did good,” he said, “and I’m so glad that everything has worked out the way that it has for you.”

You nodded at him as he moved back, moved by his sentiment. They both made sure to hug Rob as they left the room, leaving the three of you alone again.

“Why don’t you get some rest?” Rob began as he took Jackson from you, “I’ll take over.”

“I am pretty tired,” you said, “but you look really tired too.”

“Oh, I am. I’ve been a mess and haven’t had any sleep.”

“Maybe you should rest first,” you offered.

“Are you kidding?” he looked at you almost offended, “you just gave birth to our child. If anyone is getting rest around here, it’s you.”

You smiled at him, leaning your head back to watch him as he cradled your son again. It was a view that melted your heart, and you weren’t sure if you would ever stop feeling so emotional every time you saw that man holding his son.

* * *

The next morning, your doctor visited again with the good news that she was releasing you. You had to admit, you were already over the hospital stay, especially since it was almost Christmas and you just wanted to be home with Rob and your son. You wondered how life would be different now that he was here. You knew that your life had changed drastically over a short period of time, and it was only going to keep changing. For the first time, you were excited to see just how much it would change.

* * *

Finally being home came as a relief to you. While it had been comforting to be in the hospital, surrounded by nurses who answered your questions and gave you advice on how to actually handle a new baby; you felt that you and Rob had this. You honestly knew that the two of you would get through whatever came your way now. Being at home; just the three of you proved to be a little underwhelming. Jackson was quiet mostly and just loved to be held. It was a far cry from how you pictured your first day home with him would be.

You laid on the couch, cuddling him as Rob rushed around doing some last minute things. You were supposed to have two more weeks before he arrived, and you hadn’t finished preparing completely. Mostly, you watched Rob as he nervously assembled a bassinet that you would keep in your room for a while.

“I should probably go to the store before everything closes today. I almost forgot it’s Christmas Eve and we haven’t gone in a while.”

“Hmm, probably,” you hummed as you leaned down to kiss Jackson, taking a moment to take in the new baby smell.

“If you’re okay alone, I can go.”

“I’ll be fine,” you replied.

“You sure?”

“Rob, I got this.”

Rob promised to return soon as he kissed you and Jackson before heading out the door. When he was gone, you decided to move to relax in the bedroom, carrying Jackson carefully as you hummed quietly to him. You put him on the bed in Rob’s spot, lying next to him so that you could admire him again.

You were off in your own little world for a moment, distractedly touching his little fingers and toes when your phone went off. You reached for it, surprised to see that it was your lawyer. You hadn’t kept in contact much with him considering you only dealt with him when you filed for a restraining order, and again when Chris had been tried for assaulting you and subsequently going to jail for it. Curiously, you answered the call, wondering why he would be calling you on a holiday.

“Hello, Y/N,” he said somberly when you answered.

“Hey, is everything okay?”

“A few things; First, I heard you’re finally a new mom, congratulations.”

“Thanks. Word travels really fast… how did you hear?”

“It’s all over social media. Word gets around.”

“Oh yeah, Rob…” you recalled how Rob had immediately posted to Twitter that his son was here. He had been feeling especially proud and wanted to announce it to his fans, which was okay with you. You still hadn’t jumped online to see what people were saying, but you hoped it was all nice things.

“Yes, when you work with celebrities, you just know things.”

“I wouldn’t call myself a celebrity…” you mumbled.

“Well, the other thing… since word has spread quickly, I received a phone call from Chris’ lawyer this morning…” You stopped breathing for a moment at the mention of his name. Why would your lawyer be hearing from his lawyer on Christmas Eve of all days? “He’s still incarcerated, but has heard about the baby. He wasted no time in letting his lawyer know that he wants a paternity test done. Imagine my surprise when I got a phone call on Christmas Eve. Apparently, he’s very set on this.”

You felt your heart drop, your face turning red as he spoke. This couldn’t be happening. Sure, Chris had told Rob that the baby wasn’t his during your run in with him in Chicago, but you knew that he was well aware that it was impossible.

“Wh-what?” you questioned him, feeling dizzy at the absurdity of it all. “How the hell did he even know?”

“I assume he heard from family or friends who stumbled across the news… like I said, it’s all over social media. I didn’t want to bother you with this since it’s the holidays, and you just had your baby… but I really thought that you should know right away.”

“Can he do this?” you shouted, now feeling the tears well up in your eyes.

“He can if it’s court ordered. And, I can tell you… he’ll most likely get a court order simply because you were in a relationship with him and because of the timeline of everything…”

“My son is not his! I know he isn’t! Chris knows he isn’t!” you were still shouting. You glanced down to Jackson who was now getting fussy over the sudden loud sound. You rested your hand on him, shushing him as you tried to calm him.

“I believe you, Y/N,” he continued, “trust me, I do. But, it sounds like he’s going through with this and you will be required to have this done.”

“Rob’s name is on the birth certificate, he looks just like him. Does that count for anything?” You asked, trying to hold back a sob. You desperately began to rack your brain with ways around this.

“Unfortunately, no. If a man that you were in a relationship with, regardless of the restraining order and the reasoning behind it, believes that this child is his, he has every right to ask for a paternity test.”

“This can’t be happening…” you whispered, “please, don’t let him do this to us.” You were begging now. Begging for him to keep your son out of this.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N… it’s out of my hands if he gets the court order. I just wanted you to know right away that you should expect it. He’s still serving time, so you won’t have to see him, but I wanted to prepare you.”

“I don’t know how to even respond to this…” you said.

“I know, I wasn’t expecting you to take this well. But I will keep in touch as I hear more. Again, I’m so sorry.”

You ended the call, unable to even say goodbye.  

You turned your attention back to Jackson, who was now drifting off to sleep now that you had quieted down. You felt the tears fall freely now. Every time, just when you thought you were done with Chris for good, he managed to snake his way back into your life. You couldn’t believe this; you knew that he knew your son wasn’t his. He was simply trying to continue to harass you and make you remember that he still existed and that he was fully capable of making your life hell. You watched your son through tear filled eyes, disgusted that Chris would even bring him into this. Chris didn’t care. He didn’t care if he continued to hurt you and he didn’t care that he was dragging your son into whatever it was that was still going on between the two of you. Things with you and Rob had been so good. You had both fallen into your parenting roles with relative ease, finally communicating your problems for once. Now, you were faced with this. Your son, Rob’s son… possibly being forced into a paternity test for a man that obviously wasn’t the father. For a man that did nothing but hurt you. You felt sick at the realization that you had no control yet again.

Even worse, you knew that you would have to explain this to Rob, and you didn’t want to know how he was going to react.


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rob doesn’t take the news as well at the Reader thought he would, now she only hopes that they can move past this without it tearing them apart. Christmas day comes and they spend it together as a new family.

Rob returned a few hours later with more than he probably should have. You helped him with groceries while Jackson slept, staying quiet as you tried to sort out in your mind the best way to tell him about the phone call. Your happiness had just been ruined by the news, the last thing you wanted was to ruin Rob’s good mood as well. However, you knew you had to tell him. keeping secrets for too long never worked in your favor.

“Hey, these don’t look like groceries…” you mumbled as you glanced through items in one of the bags.

“No, I did some other shopping too,” he replied.

You pulled out an assortment of items from some of the other bags; they were mostly baby items. More clothing, and toys that Jackson would have no use for right now.

“What is all this?” you asked.

“Presents,” Rob replied cheerfully.

“You bought our infant son Christmas presents?” You inquired with a laugh.

“Yeah,” Rob began, “you and I will have presents, I didn’t want him to feel left out. I’m glad I bought that extra stocking.”

You chuckled at him, still rifling through the bags, “he’s barely a day old, Rob. He doesn’t understand Christmas… and he probably has no use for most of this stuff,” you lifted up a toy guitar and looked at Rob, eyebrow raised, “this is bigger than he is.”

Rob smiled, “I know. But it’s our first Christmas as a family, I had to do something.”

You placed the toy back on the table and walked toward him, pulling him into a tight embrace, “It’s sweet… you’re sweet.” You caught his lips with yours, humming happily as he kissed you back. You stayed like that for a moment, basking in the joy that you both felt right now. When he finally moved away to go about finishing what he was doing, your heart sank when you remembered that you had to tell him, and you had to tell him now.

“Hey,” you started, now feeling anxious as you were about to ruin his day, “there’s something that we need to talk about.” You watched him as he returned to the kitchen.

Rob glanced up at you as he continued to put groceries away, “Hmm… I never like it when you give me that look. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. No… I don’t know,” you shook your head to clear your thoughts, confused now as to how you should go about telling him. “My lawyer called while you were gone.”

“Really?” He shot you a confused look, “on Christmas Eve?”

“Yeah, he was just as surprised as I was. Um, he heard from Chris’ lawyer actually. This morning. He thought it was important for me to know about their conversation right away.”

“Okay…?” Rob stopped what he was doing and carefully approached you, grasping onto your arms almost as if to steady you. You stared up at him, right into his eyes hoping that he wouldn’t be hurt by what you were about to say.  
  
“Apparently, Chris heard that our son was born and he immediately got a hold of his lawyer…” you swallowed hard, not wanting to say the next part, “he’s pushing for a paternity test.”

You watched Rob’s smile disappear almost immediately. Your heart sank, knowing that you had just devastated him.

“What? Why?”

“He’s doing whatever he can to hurt me.”

“You told him no, right? Jackson is not his son.” Rob dropped his hands from you, running them through his hair now in frustration.

“I know. But it isn’t that easy. I guess he can get a court order, which will be easy for him to do because I was in a relationship with him and I got pregnant shortly after it ended. He’s going to use the timeline to his advantage.” You felt sick that this was even a possibility.

“This is bullshit Y/N! That’s my son! Don’t let him do this.” You felt helpless as you watched Rob begin to pace nervously now, eyes wet with tears. How could you still be hurting him after everything? Why was your old life still messing things up?

“I… I don’t get a say in this…” you tried to explain.

“What did you do? How the hell does he even know that he’s here?” Rob spat at you. You flinched at his words, unsure of how any of this was your fault.

“Excuse me? What did _I_ do?” you questioned him, now growing angry yourself. You were both upset, and the room had grown tense. You knew that things were about to get worse and you should just ignore him and shut your mouth. For some reason, that’s not how it worked with you and Rob.

“Well, he knows somehow,” he said accusingly.

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe because you felt it was necessary to throw our business all over social media,” you didn’t mean to snap at him, but the third degree and having to listen to him raise his voice at you yet again had you on edge.

“I was excited,” he mumbled, “I wanted my friends and my fans to know how happy I was.”

“Yeah, well, now my ex knows and he’s using that to keep making my life hell. So, thanks for that.” You turned from him, working towards making an exit from the room before the argument became heated. Nothing good had ever come from the two of you arguing.

“Why would he demand a paternity test if you’re so certain that he knows he isn’t his?” Rob’s words stopped you dead in your tracks. You turned back to him, face red in anger now.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know,” he said. You could see the hurt still evident in his eyes. “It’s just strange that he would bother with it if he didn’t think that it was a possibility.”

“Stop,” you held a hand up to him. You were seething now at his accusations. You knew he didn’t mean it, but you wanted this to stop this before it got worse.

“I mean, the timeline does match up. Maybe you got pregnant at some point in Nashville… maybe it was before we met.”

“How dare you,” you replied quietly. Now you were crying, hurt by the fact that he was intentionally trying to piss you off. “I already told you, just because I was in a relationship with him, doesn’t mean it was an intimate one.”

“I-I’m sorry,” he stuttered, now looking guilty as he realized what he had just said, “I was out of line. I-I didn’t mean it.”

“You told me that you never questioned that he was your son. How could you?”

“I don’t question it. At all. I’m so sorry, I don’t know why I said it.” He was stammering now, trying to back track over his words that he knew he shouldn’t have said.

“Jackson is your son. You know that,” you began to sob now, trying hard to keep your voice down, “don’t say things like that.”

“I was just angry, and I’m so sorry.” Obviously Rob was taking his frustrations out on you even though he knew none of this was your fault.

“Well, don’t take it out on me. Out of all the things we fight about… don’t make this a fight. Don’t question me and your son.”

Rob moved quickly toward you, immediately wrapping his arms around you and pulling you in close as you cried. You could barely feel him kissing the side of your face as he mumbled his apologies to you.

“I don’t know why I said that. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean any of it,” he continued to hold you tight, regret evident in his voice.

“I know you didn’t…” you sighed as you tried to force yourself to stop crying, “this is hard for both of us and I don’t want this to have to happen. I know your angry with me and the fact that he is still trying to mess up my life, but I can’t do anything about it. I’m angry too, but you said that you would stick this out with me regardless of what he does.”

“And I will, I will always be here for you.”

“I’m sorry that this is still happening. I’m sorry that he won’t leave me alone and I’m sorry that our son is involved now,” you cried as you dug your fingertips into his back, “I’m sorry…”

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he whispered into your ear, “I’m with you. We’ll get through this together, we always do.”

The two of you stood there for some time; still holding each other as you calmed your crying. Despite the argument and the hurtful words said, you began to relax as he ran his hands up and down your back. He was always so calming to you and you appreciated that. You weren’t sure why the two of you were still in this place in your relationship; one where you continued to upset each other. His words had been hurtful, but you know he hadn’t meant what he said. You considered all of the things that you had put him through; cruel words had been exchanged on your part plenty of time, still, he never gave up on you. You wondered if the two of you would ever reach a point where you could just have a normal relationship, with normal reactions to things. You knew it would always be difficult between the two of you. Just as you had been hurt, he had been hurt as well. You hoped that you weren’t destined to continue to hurt each other, but you also knew that the only way that would be possible would be to have Chris out of your life completely. For now, it didn’t seem as though he was going to let up.

You were interrupted from your thoughts to the sound of Jackson quietly crying from the bedroom. Rob pulled back, placing a soft kiss to your lips.

“I got him,” he stated as he moved for the room. You watched him for a moment, still upset over the fight but happy to see him so attentive. You gave him a second before following him, leaning against the bedroom door as you watched him gently cradle Jackson close to him. He began to sway back and forth, humming to Jackson, which quickly helped him to calm down. You couldn’t help but smile at the scene before you; it gave you butterflies to see how good Rob was with your son. You also realized then that whatever Rob had said to you before, he didn’t mean in the slightest.

As you stood there, still watching the two of them; Rob glanced up when he noticed you there. He smiled warmly at you, still looking guilty for what had unfolded just minutes ago.

“Hey, are we okay?” you asked carefully, not wanting to bring it up again, but wanting to know if he was still upset with you.

“I should be asking you that,” he said apologetically, “I’m the one who was out of line.”

You nodded in agreement, “Yeah, but this is all my fault. It always is.”

“No, it’s not. You never deserve to be treated the way he treats you… you didn’t deserve for me to talk to you the way that I did.”

“Still, this would all be so much easier if it weren’t for my past.”

“Then we just try to leave the past behind,” he replied, “start making a real future together,” he looked down at Jackson as he spoke, “we’ve already started on that.”

“Can we please just… try not to fight?” You walked toward him as he sat on the bed, still cradling the baby. “I don’t like it when we fight, especially now.” You sat next to him, reaching over to brush your fingertips against Jackson’s face, still amazed at how perfect he was. Rob watched you adoringly, finally leaning over to kiss you again.

“You’re right,” he answered.

“Besides, we don’t know yet if he’s going to be able to even get a court order for this. Even if he does, you have nothing to worry about.”

“I know,” he looked down at Jackson again, “look at him, he looks just like me.”

“Yeah he does,” you chuckled. He was right. Jackson looked nothing like Chris; of course he didn’t, you knew that this was Rob’s child. He didn’t even look like you really. Everything from those bright blue eyes, to that mess of brown curls on top of his head, down to that prominent nose… it almost surprised you how much he looked like Rob. You had secretly hoped that he might inherit some of your features, maybe look a little bit like you, but he was definitely a mini Rob. Not that you minded; he was adorable and you loved that he looked so much like his father.

“Hey,” Rob began, “it’s our first Christmas together as a family, let’s just make the best of it… maybe try to forget everything else just for a while.”

“Yeah, I’m okay with that,” you nodded in agreement, “we have a lot to celebrate.”

Rob leaned over again, prompting you to nuzzle into the crook of his neck. He placed a kiss to the top of your head, “can you forgive me?”

“Of course I do,” you whispered, “this is all just… so much to take in, I don’t hate you for how you reacted.” You pulled back to meet his eyes, smiling as you reminded yourself just how much you loved him, “just don’t do it again.”

* * *

Christmas morning had been a quiet and calm one. Your original plans to spend the holidays with Rob’s family had been interrupted by the arrival of Jackson. Now, neither of you wanted to leave the house, especially with a new baby. You both opted to spend the day at home, welcoming visitors later if they wished to stop by.

You woke up early to a cranky baby. You grumbled when you heard him crying at 5 am, forcing yourself up when you noticed that Rob was already on the job. You were grateful of course, but his crankiness wasn’t something that Rob could fix.

“I changed him and rocked him,” Rob explained with a worried look, still confused as to why the baby was so upset. You couldn’t help but giggle at him and his cluelessness.

“He’s hungry,” you said sleepily as you reached out for him. Rob placed him in your arms and you were both relieved when he finally stopped crying now that he was being fed. “See, just hungry.”

Rob plopped back down into the bed, exhausted. It wasn’t long before he had fallen back asleep and you wished that you could as well, but this was one thing that only you could handle right now. You watched Jackson lovingly for some time, running your hand through his soft hair as he too began to drift back to sleep once he had his fill.

When you were sure he was sleeping again, you got up and placed him back into his bassinet. You had a good chance of getting back to sleep yourself, but you remembered that it was Christmas morning. For some reason, for the first time in… ever, you actually felt yourself being excited for today. You had the love of your life and your son with you; this would be the first Christmas in years that you would actually celebrate with people that you loved. Instead of trying to get more sleep, you decided to surprise Rob with breakfast. After all, he had cooked for you plenty of times. You wanted this day to be just as special as Rob wanted it to be.

You padded out of the bedroom, quietly closing the door behind you after you took a second to take in the sight of your two favorite guys sleeping peacefully.

Before you headed for the kitchen, you made sure to stop in the living room, plugging in the lights of the tree. There was a ridiculous number of gifts under it, courtesy of Rob and his insistence on buying too much for Jackson. You smiled to yourself as you saw them all; wrapped perfectly as if the baby would even be able to open them. Shaking your head affectionately, you made your way to the kitchen.

You brought up your music on your phone, knowing that you needed noise while you cooked, but being careful not to make it too loud. You put your Louden Swain playlist on shuffle and was soon softly singing to yourself as you began breakfast.

Just as you were finishing up your cooking, you noticed Rob making his way into the kitchen, Jackson pressed firmly against his chest.

“Good morning,” you said cheerfully. You couldn’t help but swoon over his messy hair and the fact that he had put his glasses on. Seeing him like this in the mornings always did have an effect on you.

He grinned at you, still half asleep, “morning.”

“How’s my boys?” you asked.

“We’re good. He was wide awake when I woke up, didn’t even make a peep.”

“Coffee?” you asked as you already began to pour each of you a cup.

“Yes, please,” he replied as he sat at the table. “Mmm, you made breakfast?”

“I did. I couldn’t sleep after he woke up earlier,” you explained as you placed the coffee mugs at the table. You quickly walked to the living room, retrieving the bouncer that had been gifted to you at your baby shower. You brought it to the dining area, placing it down so that you could both enjoy your breakfast while still having the baby close.

“I’m sorry. You should’ve woke me back up. I would’ve stayed up with him while you got some rest,” Rob said as he placed Jackson in the bouncer, careful to strap him in before pressing the ON button. He watched amusedly as Jackson relaxed immediately in his new chair.

“I’m okay. I was kind of excited anyway, since it’s Christmas.” You started to prepare plates for you and Rob.

“I thought you didn’t celebrate Christmas,” he mused as he took a sip of his coffee.

“Well, I have some pretty important guys in my life that make it worth celebrating now,” you explained as you walked back to the table, placing a plate in front of Rob and sitting down next to him with your own.

“Should you really be doing all of this work?” Rob asked, “I mean, you did just have a baby.”

“I’m fine, I promise. I’ll rest as needed.”

You both ate, engaging in a casual conversation that actually surprised you. For once, you were really enjoying each other’s company. You discussed simple things; completely leaving out the conversation from the day before. You figured you were both trying very hard to not spoil today of all days, so you went with it. In between topics of the conversation; you’d touch each other, lingering at the skin to skin contact. Often, he’d lean in to kiss you and you’d lose yourself each time in the feel of his lips.

You recalled at one point how Briana had told you that having a baby would change everything between you and Rob. _“More than anything,”_ she had explained, _“You will find yourselves falling in love all over again.”_

You realized, in this very simple morning over breakfast, that she was right. He was giving you butterflies all over again, placing a permanent smile on your face each time he reached over to brush a strand of hair from your face. You also noticed the look in his eyes each time you ran a hand across his jaw, taking a moment to focus on the gray patch that you still found so endearing. He looked at you the same way he had when you first met him. He looked at you as if you were the most beautiful woman in the world. When you had finished breakfast and a second cup of coffee, he helped you clear the table; following you into the kitchen to the sink where you discarded the plates and mugs.

Before you could make a move, he spun you around, pressing you against the counter as he leaned down and kissed you deeply. You sighed into his lips, moving to wrap your arms around his neck as he; in turn, snaked his hands around your waist; gripping tight to your body. He bit down gently onto your lip before slipping his tongue into your mouth. You happily obliged, meeting his kiss with just as much enthusiasm as he was giving you. You kissed for a long time like that, hands exploring each other as if it had been too long since you had touched, lips working feverishly against each other’s.

When you both needed a moment to breathe, you pulled away from each other. He rested his forehead against yours, staring into your eyes with blown pupils as he tried to steady his breathing. The only thing that you disliked about having just given birth was the fact that right now, you could only kiss.

“What was that all about?” you asked, breathless.

“I just haven’t kissed you like that in a long time,” he mumbled as he ghosted his lips against yours.

“You’re killing me, Rob,” you muttered in return.

“Hmm,” he hummed as he kissed you softly, “you have no idea what you’re doing to me.”

“It’s going to have to wait,” you reminded him. Now, you wanted him badly and you began to silently curse him for getting you so worked up.

“I know,” he sighed. He pulled back from you, trying to calm himself.

“Why don’t we distract ourselves and go open presents?” you offered, also trying to take your mind off the intense moment you had just shared.

“Good idea,” he chuckled.  He took your hand and led you out of the kitchen. You stopped to pick up Jackson from his chair where he was sleeping happily. Cradling him, you made your way to the living room where you got comfortable in your spot on the couch.

You watched Rob as he began to rummage through the pile of gifts, trying to find the ones that he had bought for you.

“Hey, grab the one with your name on it,” you directed him, trying to point to it.

“This one?” he asked, holding up a small box that he found.

“Yes, that’s it.”

He moved toward the couch, gifts in tow as he sat next to you eagerly.

“Open this one first,” he said with a grin as he handed you the gift. You tried to adjust with Jackson in your arms and Rob moved quickly, taking him from you so that you could focus on opening the present. Once you were all situated, you dove right in, tearing away the wrapping paper until you saw that it was an album. It looked like a regular photo album and you looked at Rob curiously.

“Keep going,” he urged you with a smile.

You did as he asked, opening the book slowly as you began to take in the photos that took up a few of the pages. There were pictures from the Nashville convention; where you had met Rob and spent time with him in the greenroom. Simple photos of the two of you smiling and sitting next to each other, some of the photos included many of your new friends. You smiled as you recalled how that had been the first time you had met any of them. You flipped through more of the pages to find that there were photos from the show you had done, the same one where Rob had found you again. They looked like photos taken from the crowd and you wondered who had taken these. You moved further into the book; now smiling as you came across pictures from the Chicago convention. Most of those pictures consisting of the moment when Rob had proposed to you onstage. There were more from other conventions; many of them of you and Rob together, some with friends… You looked up at him again, impressed at how thoughtful this gift was.

“How did you…?” you began before he cut you off.

“Schmelke,” he said simply. “I pays to have a photographer friend. I knew he had pictures from when I proposed and I wanted to keep it a secret just for this, turns out he had taken a lot of really great pictures of us during most of the conventions.”

“This is…” you trailed off, trying to fight back tears, “the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.”

“Really? You like it?”

“I love it. It’s perfect.”

“There’s a lot of room left in there for more memories,” he said.

“I look forward to it,” you smiled at him as you leaned in to kiss him. “It’s your turn now,” you said as you took Jackson back from him so he could open his gift.

He picked up the small box, shaking it against his ear to listen. You giggled at him as he did so. He opened it quickly, pulling out a pair of silver chains and examining them closely. He moved his fingertip along the engraving on one of the bracelets. You recognized it as yours; you had gotten your names engraved on it, along with lyrics from the song that you had written together. He turned his attention to the other one; as simple one that read, _“I love you dad.”_

“I figured, I can take that one to get Jacksons name engraved now that he’s here and he has a name,” you explained.

“This is perfect,” he replied, a large smile brightening up his face as he put them on his wrist among the other bracelets.

“You like them?” you asked hesitantly. You hadn’t been sure if this was the right way to go when it came to picking a thoughtful gift for him, but the way he looked at you calmed you as you realized that he was truly touched by the gift.

“I love them,” he promised, “I’ll always have both of you with me now.”

* * *

The rest of the day continued to go smoothly. You each opened more gifts, taking turns to open Jackson’s gifts that he was obviously not interested in.

Rob’s mother, his sister and her family had dropped by for a bit to visit. All bringing even more presents that had you overwhelmed. Otherwise, it stayed fairly quiet around the house. There had been a few phone calls from friends to congratulate you, many of whom didn’t want to stop by and intrude as your son was only a couple of days old. Most of your friends insisted that they would come by after the holidays were over and the three of you were ready for visitors. You had to admit, you were thrilled that most everyone wanted to give you some time. You were both still learning and trying to get comfortable in your new roles as parents. It was easier when you could just be focused on yourselves without having people around to cause you anxiety.

You reveled in the quiet of that night, still lazily sprawled on the couch with Jackson resting against your chest as Rob sat with you. You watched the lights on the tree twinkle, completely forgetting about the mess of wrapping paper and boxes spread throughout the living room.

“I’m ready for bed,” you stated with a yawn. You hadn’t had a chance to nap all day, and your early morning was catching up to you.

Rob stood and scooped Jackson from your chest, cautiously carrying him to the bedroom as you followed right behind him. You had to admit, the baby slept pretty well and was always so quiet. He didn’t even fuss as Rob laid him in his bassinet. You crawled into bed, ecstatic at how cozy and welcoming it was. You snuggled under the covers as Rob joined you, wrapping his arms around you as he pulled you against his body.

“Today was perfect,” he whispered as you nuzzled your face into his chest, “just the three of us.”

“It really was,” you met him at his sentiment, “I couldn’t be happier.”

“You make me very happy. Both of you do,” he said as he placed a kiss to your forehead.

You began to drift off into a comfortable sleep, your mind just barely bringing up the events from the previous day. You hadn’t thought about it at all today, but it was still something that weighed on your mind. Yes, this was going to be a difficult thing; and you knew that Chris was only doing what he could to keep pushing your buttons. But, you knew that you and Rob would get through this just as you did with any difficulty that came your way. You decided that you would give Chris the paternity test. He was only asking for one so that he could somehow remain a part of your life. You knew that allowing it to happen would only prove that he wasn’t the father, and if that’s what it would take to keep him out of your lives, then you had to do it. 

* * *


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader takes advice from Kim on her most recent situation; advice that proves to be useful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Reader sings “Well-Rested“ by Miranda Lambert.

**2 Weeks Later**

Christmas and the New Year had gone by smoothly for you. You and Rob had fallen into your parenting roles with ease and you found yourself feeling happier than you had ever been before. You couldn’t even complain really about the lack of sleep that came along with having a newborn. Rob was constantly up in the middle of the night every time Jackson would cry; insisting that you sleep unless it was something that he couldn’t handle. You had to admit; the man was a great father, and you realized that soon, he was going to be an amazing husband.

Today, Kim had called in advance to ask for a visit. She had been amazing and made sure that she got you to the hospital when you had went into labor, and quickly left once she knew that you and Rob were together there. She hadn’t had a chance to meet the baby yet and she figured that since the holidays were over, it would be a good time to do so. You were excited to see her. For two weeks it had been just you and Rob, taking care of Jackson. Occasionally, someone would stop by; usually Rob’s family. You sort of craved some interaction with other adults, especially with Kim who was one of your best friends.

She had stopped by that morning, taking a moment to greet you and Rob before her attention immediately turned toward Jackson. You watched her with a smile as she held him, gently cradling his head as she stared at him.

“You guys,” she breathed out, “he is so beautiful.”

“Of course he is, he looks just like me,” Rob joked as he shot you a wink.

“It’s those blue eyes, they reel you in,” you added.

“You two did good,” she said with a smile, “I’m so happy for you.”

“Thanks, we’re really happy too,” Rob beamed.

“Well, aside from being parents now, what’s going on?”

“That’s pretty much it,” you laughed, “he takes up a lot of our time right now. But I’m very happy with that.”

The three of you chatted; mostly about Jackson and about how everyone’s Christmas had gone. You showed Kim the photos that Rob had collected of the two of you, grinning like a fool when you got to the proposal pictures. Rob had brought coffee for everyone at one point; and you all sat around laughing and catching up while Jackson slept peacefully in his bouncer.

You had a lot that you wanted to talk to Kim about, but it wasn’t necessarily a discussion that you wanted Rob to hear. You breathed a sigh of relief when he finally decided to take a shower, leaving you and Kim to chat.

“What’s going on?” Kim asked as she sipped on her coffee.

“What do you mean?”

“I know that look. Something happened and you’re waiting to talk about it.”

She knew you too well. You eagerly caught her up on the story about the phone call from your lawyer on Christmas Eve. You even told her about the fight that you and Rob had. Kim was easy to talk to about the tough stuff, mostly because she never judged you; she listened.

“Wow, so when I asked what was new, you were just waiting for Rob to leave before you told me.”

“Sort of. We agreed to not let it be the focus right now. We actually haven’t talked about it since. I know I want to, but I think he’s afraid to.”

“Do you have any doubt that Rob is Jackson’s father?”

“Not at all. I’ve told Rob a million times; the relationship between Chris and I was a mess. He was cheating on me before I went to Nashville. We hadn’t even been together in months.”

“Then why is he asking for a paternity test?”

You shrugged, “I think he’s just trying to find any way that he can get to me. I really believe that he enjoys hurting me. And this… I feel like he knew it would cause a strain in my relationship with Rob. You heard him in Chicago… he told Rob that the baby wasn’t even his. He said it to mess things up between us.”’

“He’s an even bigger asshole that I originally thought.”

“I just don’t understand. He didn’t want me anymore. But, when he found out that I had moved on, he’s just set on destroying everything.”

“But, you and Rob are okay?”

“I think so. I hope so. Things have been really good aside from that fight. I just… need him to know that I’m telling him the truth. Jackson is his, I’m one-hundred percent certain of it. Sometimes, I feel like he questions it though.”

“How can he? Look at him,” Kim motioned toward Jackson who was still sleeping, “I’ve never seen a baby who looks more like his dad.”

“I know, and I’m sure he knows as well. It’s my own anxiety that makes it hard to stop thinking about it.”

“I assume this all means that you want my advice again.”

“I’m always open to good advice,” you chuckled.

“Here’s what you do,” she repositioned herself on the couch so that she was now facing you directly, “you don’t fight Chris on it.”

You raised a brow, questioning whether Kim had lost her mind now.

“You agree to the test, don’t even bother waiting for a court order. Have your lawyer tell his lawyer that you agree to it.”

“Kim…”

“No, I know you’re certain, you’re both certain of who Jackson’s father is. It’s Rob. I’m also sure that Chris knows this. He has to. He’s only pushing for this so he can continue to hurt you. So, you agree to it and then wait and see what his next move is.”

“That all sounds so unnecessary,” you muttered. You didn’t want to think about even going through with the process. You had been trying to come up with ways to avoid a possible court order completely.

“Chances are, he just backs off. Because he knows he’s not his father. And, when he does back off, you make sure to include your family in that restraining order.”

“Really? You think that’s necessary?” You asked, now wondering why you hadn’t thought of doing that in the first place.

“Y/N, he was willing to flat out approach Rob and take a picture with him. Now, he’s bringing your son into whatever weird little fantasy he has going on in his head. He’s not going to be in jail forever, which means you’re not going to be done with him unless he loses interest. In turn, your family isn’t safe. But they can be safer with that restraining order.”

You thought about Kim’s advice. It was good advice as usual; if you agreed to the test, Chris would most likely back down, you were sure he wouldn’t want to end up paying for it just to prove that the baby wasn’t his. You hadn’t thought about a restraining order to protect all three of you, you didn’t think it would even be an issue. But, Kim made a good point. As long as Chris was willing to harass you, your family was going to be involved.

“The only problem now is getting Rob to get on board with agreeing to do the test.”

“And, that’s one that you’ll have to handle on your own, my dear.” Kim smiled as she picked her coffee back up, taking a long sip as she watched you.

“Thank you, Kim. I can always count on you.”

“That’s what friends are for, Y/N. I’m surprised you haven’t learned that by now. And, if you ever need someone to break his face again, I’m always ready.”

* * *

After Kim had left, you knew you had to talk to Rob. It wasn’t going to be something that he wanted to hear, but it was what he needed to hear.

“I’m going to call my lawyer today.” You told him casually as you relaxed in bed, feeding Jackson.

“Oh? Why?” Rob peeled his eyes from the TV to look at you.

“I’m going to just agree to the paternity test, get it over with.”

Rob sat up in a huff, obviously not happy with your decision. “I thought we decided to just ignore this until he got a court order.”

“Well, you decided. I know he’s going to be able to get one, but I just want this over with. I don’t want him to have a reason to keep bothering me.”

“Y/N, you can’t do this without at least talking to me.”

“We’re talking, and I’m telling you that I’m agreeing to it,” you eyed Rob, waiting for his reaction.

Rob’s face became red, you could tell he was getting angry at your choice.

“Well, he’s my son too and I’m not agreeing.”

“Rob… I’m just so tired. I’m done with him having a reason to stay in my life. Him claiming that Jackson is his is giving him a reason. We both know that he isn’t his son. Wouldn’t it be easier to just, prove it now? Be done with it?”

“So, you’re saying, just give in? Let him have this one?”

“I’m saying that I think he’ll drop it if I agree to it. He knows Jackson isn’t his, he’s just trying to ruin what we have. If I just say yes to doing the test, I’m almost certain that he’ll drop the idea.” You watched Rob as he thought hard about what you had said. It was a change, that’s for sure. You had been certain that he would fight you on this, insisting that you couldn’t give in to what Chris wanted. Rob was very protective of you and now your son, because the two of you were his. You were his family and his life at this point.

“Okay. If it helps to keep him away from you, then okay.”

“And once it’s done; and we either prove he’s not his or he just backs out of it, I’m going to see about including you and Jackson in the restraining order.”

Rob didn’t even argue with you like you thought he would. Deep down, he must have been thinking the same thing. When it came to Chris, you weren’t always safe. The people around you weren’t safe. Any bit of protection that you could offer was important.

* * *

You waited anxiously for your lawyer to call back the next day. You had called him, told him to just allow the paternity test, no court order needed. You knew that the discussion had to happen and it wouldn’t happen quickly. Your lawyer had to call his lawyer who then had to talk to Chris before anyone would get back to you. It was slowly driving you crazy though, all of this waiting. You tried to take your mind off it the best you could. Rob was out, finally taking some time to work with Rich on their show. He didn’t like the idea of going back to work so soon, but you admit that you sort of pushed him into it. While it was wonderful to have him with you all day, being so attentive to Jackson, you also needed time to yourself. It wasn’t easy to get used to having a man who was so focused on you all the time. You were used to being alone for so long, Rob was still someone that you were trying to learn. You figured that he was also weary of going back to work because he genuinely enjoyed spending time with the baby. They had a special bond; and today, when Rob left the house, you immediately recognized his hesitation on leaving. You had to assure him that you and Jackson would be fine on your own and that he needed time to himself as well. Half the day was gone already and he had only called four or five times to check on the two of you.

You were in the middle of folding laundry, trying to get your mind off the phone call that you were expecting, when the phone finally rang.

“Hello, Y/N.” Your lawyers familiar voice greeted you when you answered.

“Hey, so… how did it go? Are we just going to get this done quickly? I just want this to be over with.” You spoke quickly and nervously, hoping that he would assure you that this would all be over soon.

“Well, we had a conversation,” he replied, “a lot of back and forth really. Sorry it took so long to get back to you.”

“It’s fine. Just tell me we can get this over with.”

“Strangely, there isn’t going to be a paternity test.”

You exhaled the breath that you had been holding in, “Really? He’s just dropping it?”

“He is. It was an interesting conversation. It was almost as if he thought that by doing a paternity test, he might see you somehow.”

“What?”

“He talked a lot about doing this test, and seeing you for some reason. I had to remind him that the restraining order is still in place, and there was no need for you to have any contact with him whatsoever.”

“Ok?” You had to admit, this wasn’t exactly what you were expecting. You should have known though; Chris was willing to go out of his way to track you down to see you on many occasions in the past. You had figured by this point, that he was mostly just trying to wreck your life,  not make any attempt to actually see you again.

“When he realized that there would be no contact, he just said he didn’t want it done. It’s almost as if he were only doing this because he thought he would see you or something.”

“I didn’t realize that that could be the reason for all of this, I thought it was more along the lines of him wanting to ensure Rob and I might fight because of it.”

“Hmm, I’m sorry Y/N. But, you don’t have to worry. There was never any reason for you to have contact with him; and now, your family won’t be bothered with this.”

“I want to include Rob and Jackson in the restraining order,” you blurted out.

“I think I can make that happen. And I think it’s a good decision. Based on past reports and incidents, I’m sure I can get this done. I’ll get back to you when I can get a new order written up.”

* * *

You couldn’t wait for Rob to return home for the day. You were excited to tell him the news; that Chris wasn’t going through with the paternity test and the three of you would be left alone for now. Meanwhile, you had a fussy baby and it seemed as if nothing would calm him. You had exhaustively tried everything. You had fed him, changed him, rocked him… it was times like this when you wish Rob was home. He was always able to calm Jackson, it was if the two had a special bond that even you didn’t have with either of them.

When you had come to your wits end, frustrated that you couldn’t console him, you remembered how Rob would occasionally bring out his guitar and play during tough nights and it always seemed to calm Jackson.

“Maybe it’s worth a shot,” you said to Jackson, who was now sitting grumpily in his bouncer. You made your way across the room to retrieve your guitar that Rob had bought for you. “I know I’m not as good as dad, but maybe you just like music.”

You walked back to the couch and sat in front of him as he looked up at you, eyes teary and soft whines escaping his lips.

“I don’t know any lullabies,” you continued, “but I was writing a lot before you were born. I can play you something.” You watched him, waiting, as if he were going to answer you. “Hmm, I’ve got one that I’m still working on. It’s kind of sad, but I’ll play it if you want. It’s nice and slow.”

Your voice must have been soothing to him. He stopped crying for a moment when you brought your guitar to your lap, where you took a moment to tune it quickly before you started playing.

 _Well this moment is heavy_  
 _For me I’m not ready_  
 _Like a caged bird barely set free_  
 _Forgive me I’m finding my wings_  
  
_While my body is present_  
 _My heart is absent_  
 _And my mind is racing_  
 _And my feet are pacing_  
  
_It’s your tail you’re chasing_  
 _It’s the past I’m erasing_  
 _And your heart can’t be tested_  
 _When it ain’t well-rested_  


Jackson had finally stopped crying completely now. He only looked at you, quiet as you continued to strum and sing softly.

When you had finished playing, you looked down to Jackson, who was now miraculously sleeping. Maybe it was just music in general that calmed him. You smiled softly at him, reaching down to pull his blanket up.

“He likes to hear you sing.” Startled, you turned quickly toward the voice that you weren’t expecting. Rob stood at the doorway, gently closing the door behind him as he entered the house.

“How long have you been there?” You asked as you worked on settling your nerves.

“I think I caught most of the show,” he chuckled.

“You snuck up on me.”

“You just didn’t even notice me walk in.”

“I guess I was a little in the moment. He was upset so I was just trying to calm him.”

“It worked,” he nodded toward your sleeping baby as he walked toward you. “Rough day?” You expected him to sit next to you; instead he guided you back onto the couch so that you were lying down. He crawled across the couch so that he was lying right next to you. He pulled you close to him, arms wrapped around you as his lips found yours. You stayed lost in the moment, a long kiss that gave you butterflies.

“Sort of, he’s been very fussy and I’m pretty sure it’s because dad wasn’t around. He likes you more.”

“Don’t say that,” Rob frowned, “I think I calm him because I’m always singing to him.”

“Well, I’ll remember that then,” you hummed as he began to kiss your neck.

“Please do. You’ve got a beautiful voice.” He continued to kiss you, hands running along your back and you relaxed into him. “Do you always write such sad songs?”

“Not always, I haven’t written in a while. It was just a song I wrote back when things were kind of a mess.”

“Well, I guess if anything, our lives up to this point have made for some pretty great music,” he chuckled as he pulled back to look you in the eyes.

You laughed softly, “Yeah, I think you’re right. Let’s just not make a habit of it.”

“I missed you today,” Rob sighed as he watched you. You met his gaze and gave it a moment before you spoke.

“You know, I kinda really missed you too.”

“How was your day?” He asked, “aside from the cranky baby?”

“Oh, my lawyer finally called me back…”

“What did he say?”

“There’s not going to be a paternity test. He dropped it,” you said with a smile.

“Really?” Rob grinned back at you, almost looking as if he didn’t believe it. “He really just decided not to go through with it?”

“I told you, he knows damn well he’s not his son. Apparently, he was just trying to come up with a way to see me again.”

“Good,” he replied, still smiling as his eyes never left yours, “now we can just go back to being happy and not having to worry about him.”

“Yeah, I think that’s a great idea.”

“Also, we’ve still got this wedding to work on,” he reminded you. You groaned as he brought it up again. “Is it really that painful to think that you’re marrying me?”

“No, it’s painful planning a wedding,” you whined, “it’s a lot of work. It’s going to be a lot more work for me now that you’re back out there… working.”

“That doesn’t mean that I’m not going to help,” he said, “besides, I was wondering when you thought about maybe going back and finishing the songs you were working on.”

“Are you asking me to go back to work?”

“No, not really. I just… you were working so hard in the studio. You basically stopped in the middle of everything when you found out you were pregnant. I just know it’s something that you wanted to do, and I want you to know that I still support you.”

“Thank you. I don’t think I’m ready just yet. I’m very happy being here with Jackson, getting to see you when you come home. Is that okay?”

“Of course it is. I just want to make sure that you’re not putting all of that work on hold because you feel like you have to.”

“Thank you,” you said, genuinely touched that he cared enough about your career to make sure you weren’t putting it on the back burner just because of your family. “I just, feel like this is where I belong right now. All of those songs were really hard to write, and most of them were about some really difficult things. I don’t feel sad anymore, and I don’t feel the need to work on those sad songs right now.”

Rob frowned at you, “they’re great songs and I really hope you consider finishing an album.”

“I will,” you promised, “when the time is right.”

The two of you stayed on the couch, cuddling for the first time in what seemed like a long time. Jackson still slept soundly as you and Rob talked. You asked him about the second season of the show that he was working on with Rich and he asked you to talk more about your day. While it wasn’t exactly as exciting as his day, he still listened. You also discussed more wedding details, most of which sounded boring to you as you actually hated planning the wedding. If you could have it your way; you and Rob would just elope, make the whole thing low-key and quick. However, Rob seemed pretty set on a ‘real’ wedding and you certainly didn’t want to take that away from him.

After what seemed like a couple of hours of lazing around and talking, Jackson finally began to stir, whining softly as he woke.

“Uh oh,” Rob mumbled as he looked across you, “someone’s grumpy again.”

“I’ll get him,” you said as you sat up from the couch. You quickly picked him up, cradling him against you as you made your way to the nursery to change him. Rob followed close behind.

“Hey,” he began, “I was thinking… I’ve got Vegas con coming up next month… do you think it’s too soon to travel with a baby?”

You glanced at him as you were in the middle of changing Jackson’s diaper, “I don’t know, wouldn’t it be a bit of a hassle?”

“I don’t know. I mean, it’s a short flight from here and it’s not like we’d be dragging him across the country.”

“Hmm, I suppose it couldn’t be too bad. Why?”

“Will you and Jackson come with me to Vegas?” He looked at you, hopeful. You had stopped following him around to conventions months ago, when you became too pregnant to keep up with him. You admit that you enjoyed the conventions. It gave you a chance to hang out with friends while still being able to spend time with Rob even while he was working.

“Really?” you grinned at him, “you want your fiancée and your baby to cramp your style? In Vegas of all places?”

“You won’t. it’s just, it’s four days. I don’t know if I can be away from you two for that long.”

You grinned at him, finding it adorable that he didn’t want to be far from you and Jackson, “I think it would be fun. And I think we could make it work.”


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rob asks the reader to marry him… Again. Only this time, he’s got some unexpected plans up his sleeve.

February had rolled around quickly. Although you were slightly hesitant about traveling with a baby, you figured Jackson was two months old, how hard could a short flight really be? You focused on packing today; suitcases lined up along the bed as you thoughtfully kept track of what you had packed and what still needed to be packed. Since Rob was out for the morning, you took it upon yourself to pack for all three of you. Normally, packing for a con wouldn’t be such a stressful thing, but this one was four days and you also had Jackson coming along.

After a while, when you thought that you had done the best you could, you stood back to examine the bags, doing a mental check of all the things that you knew were needed and what Rob had specifically asked for in his bag. You laughed to yourself when you saw that the smallest of the three of you definitely had the most items packed. Maybe you were overdoing it with what you thought you’d need for Jackson, but you wanted to be prepared. You had never traveled with a baby before.

As you stood there, still contemplating whether you had forgotten anything, your phone rang. You pulled it out of your pocket and saw that it was Kim so you put her on speaker and placed the phone on the nightstand.

“Hey, Kim!” you shouted joyfully. This caused Jackson to stir slightly from his bassinet. He hadn’t been sleeping, but rather, watching you as you scurried around the room as you packed. He was in a good mood today and was perfectly content as long as you were within eyesight of him.

“Y/N!” she called back, “how are you and how is my sweet little Jack?”

“We’re both good. I’m just busy packing, who knew adding in a baby to convention trips could be so stressful?”

“You’re probably overdoing it,” Kim said.

“You’re probably right,” you said in return.

“I’m so happy you’ve decided to bring him along though. He’s gonna be the star of the weekend.”

You chuckled at her words, knowing full well that she was right. Most of the group had stopped by to meet him at some point during the last couple of months, but there were still a few who hadn’t.

“I still can’t believe you agreed to even go to Vegas with your little family,” Kim began, “especially when you’ve got the wedding coming up in a couple of months.”

“Please, don’t remind me,” you grumbled as you rustled through Jackson’s bag, wondering if there was a way you could lessen the load.

“Oh…” Kim said softly, “I’m sorry. Are we not allowed to talk about the wedding?”

“I would rather not.”

“I thought you were excited. Are you saying you don’t want to marry Rob?”

“Oh god, I’m not saying that at all!” you exclaimed, regretting that you had made it sound as if you didn’t want a wedding, “it’s just been so stressful, and I really don’t want to deal with it right now.”

“Hasn’t he been helping?”

“Yeah, a lot actually. I just… weddings aren’t my thing. Rob has turned it into this huge event, and to be honest, I feel a lot of pressure over it. Especially when I don’t have family who will be there and the majority of the friends in attendance will be his that I sort of gathered along the way.”

“Y/N, you know we’re your friends too, we’re your family.”

“I know, I know…” you sighed heavily, sitting down at the edge of the bed as you watched Jackson who was now smiling at you. “It’s just, there are so many people on that guest list… and I get that Rob knows a lot of people, but it’s not how I imagined it, you know?”

“What? You wanted a smaller wedding?”

“Yeah, I mean, I never really thought about a wedding before… didn’t think I’d ever find someone who I’d even be willing to marry. But, I always sort of hoped that it would small and intimate. Just people who were important to both of us would be there. Something that wouldn’t take months to plan, I don’t know, just a… spur of the moment kind of thing.”

“So, you wish you had just eloped?”

You chuckled, “I don’t know, maybe? Look, I’m not going to run out on him or leave him at the altar or anything. I love him and I’m okay with going along with the wedding that he wants. I just wish he’d tone it down a bit.”

Kim laughed in response, “I think he’s just trying to give you all of the things that he thinks you deserve.”

“You’re right,” you nodded in agreement, “he’s a good man. And I love him for all of that.”

“Maybe talk to him… you know, communicate.”

“I know, I know. It’s a little too late to ask him to change anything now. Should’ve learned how to communicate with him sooner.”

“It never hurts to talk.”

“Thanks Kim. Thanks for listening to me rant all the time.”

“That’s what I’m here for,” Kim said, “I was just calling to make sure everything is okay and you and Jack were still coming to Vegas.”

“It is and we are,” you promised.

“Good, I can’t wait to see you and I can’t wait to cuddle that little guy again.”

“See you soon Kim,” you said.

“Let me know if you need anything,” she replied before she hung up.

You moved over to the bassinet and picked up Jackson, holding him against your chest you looked at the mess of bags on the bed.

“Well, Jack, maybe we can let dad handle the rest.”

* * *

The following morning had been a blur. You and Rob had rushed around, preparing what you needed at the last minute before heading to the airport. Luckily, Rob was a pro at traveling and had been able to lessen the amount of things you had packed for him and Jackson significantly. He had laughed through the whole re-packing time, reminding you that you only needed what was necessary. Maybe you had overdone it with things for the baby, but as usual, Rob was right there to help you relax and make some rational decisions.

The flight hadn’t been too bad either. Jackson was amazingly calm on the short flight, probably because he found such comfort when Rob was around. You on the other hand, didn’t like to fly. So you sat through the whole thing with your anxiety at an all-time high while Rob tried his best to calm you. You really were lucky to have him. He managed to keep a hold of your hand, which had helped tremendously to relieve your nerves. At the same time, he tended to Jackson who only got slightly fussy for a few minutes here and there.

* * *

Once you had all settled at the hotel, you breathed a sigh of relief. You had expected the whole getting there part to be a mess now that you had a baby to bring along, but Rob had made sure it went smoothly. He always remained so calm during instances when you weren’t, it was definitely a nice balance and you loved that he had that effect.

“Early lunch?” Rob asked as you relaxed on the bed after making sure Jackson had been fed. Jackson was happy now, smiling and waving his arms around.

“I’m starving,” you replied.

“We can meet everyone at the restaurant if you want,” Rob said as he checked his phone, “unless you want to go somewhere just you, me, and Jack.”

“I’d love to have lunch with everyone,” you said, “I’ve missed them.”

You got up and shuffled through Jackson’s diaper bag, making sure you had what you needed. Rob helped out by making sure Jackson was secured in his car seat. When everything was in order, you made your way downstairs to the lobby where a car was waiting for you outside to take you to the restaurant that everyone had decided on.

* * *

You were happy to catch up with everyone at lunch. Many of them you hadn’t seen in some time, not since the last con you were able to attend. Jackson was now being passed around from person to person, everyone wanting to make sure they got the chance to hold him. Luckily, he loved the attention and was all smiles no matter who was holding him at any given moment.

You chatted with everyone; answering questions about how motherhood was treating you, if you had been working on music, how the holidays had gone, and how wedding planning was coming along. You tried not to visibly cringe at the mention of the latter.

“It’s… going,” you had answered, unsure of how to say much more without saying how exhausting it was and how stressed you had been over it. You also needed to avoid the conversation because Rob had been staring at you throughout the entire lunch. You weren’t sure if he was aware, but every time you looked at him or glanced over, he was already staring at you. You were sure that talking about this big wedding that you didn’t really want in the first place would make it very obvious that you weren’t sure about a lot of what Rob had wanted. So, you tried to avoid that topic through the rest of lunch.

Among the lunch chatter, Rob had grabbed your attention at one point by gripping on to your hand gently. He watched you as you laughed with the girls for a while until you caught on to his staring again. You looked at him, questioning him silently.

“Let’s get married,” he said, his blue eyes still following you.

“Rob, you’ve proposed to me twice and I’ve said yes twice. Don’t you think this is getting to be a bit redundant?” Everyone laughed as you spoke.

“No,” he chuckled, “I mean, let’s get married now.”

“What?” You asked. You glanced around at everyone else and they all seemed to be just as shocked as you were right now.

“Let’s forget about April… cancel the wedding. Let’s just do it now.” The entire table had fallen silent now. All of the mini conversations and the laughter had stopped and all of the attention was drawn to you and Rob.

“You’re being weird…” You eyed him suspiciously, unsure of what was going on right now.

“What? I know you talked to Kim,” he said as he motioned to her with his head. Kim suddenly looked very guilty and she slumped down in her seat, face red with embarrassment. “You said you wished we had just eloped,” You felt your heart beat wildly as he spoke. Of course Kim had mentioned your conversation to him. You had to admit, you felt a bit betrayed as you looked at her. That was supposed to be in confidence, the last thing you wanted was to hurt Rob’s feelings over the wedding. You looked back at him regretfully, surprised that he didn’t even appear to be hurt by what Kim had told him. Actually, he watched you with a smile on his face, almost as if he were… excited for something. “Well, we’re in Vegas,” he added.

“Oh,” you said regretfully. “I didn’t mean all of that Rob.”

“No, you just didn’t mean for me to find out about it.”

“I’m sorry. This is all just a lot for me. You know I’m pretty low-key. I’ve been stressed is all.”

“So, let’s just do it. Let’s ignore all of the work and the people… the stress. We can, you know?”

“We’ve been planning for months. Isn’t that what you wanted? To share this with your family and our friends?”

“Our friends are here,” he replied as he glanced around the table at everyone. You followed suit, looking around to see that all eyes were still fixed on the two of you. They were waiting. Waiting to see how this entire, off-the-wall conversation would play out.

“Rob, you wanted this big wedding, I’m not going to take that away from you.”

“I wanted a big wedding because I thought that’s what you wanted.”

“Another instance when we don’t necessarily communicate very well,” you joked.

“Look, tell me what you really want, and I want you to be completely honest.” He leaned in to you, taking your hand in his as he watched you.

“I just… I want you. I want you and our son, and I just want us to be together. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

“And I want you,” he said as he moved in closer still. He pressed his forehead against yours, his eyes searching yours for a moment, “so, let’s just do it. Let’s get married today.”

“Don’t tease. Because I think this sounds perfect,” you whispered. For a brief moment, you had forgotten that you were still surrounded by friends; all of whom were watching you and Rob intently, still waiting for what would happen next.

“Then we’re doing it.” Rob declared, grinning, “No stress, no plan, no people butting in telling us what to do.”

“Are you sure?” You asked. He seemed to be excited over the decision, hell, you were excited over it. But you wanted to make sure that you weren’t making a huge mistake by forcing him into this.

“I have never been more certain of anything,” he replied, “Just you and me… and Jackson. That’s all I need.”

You hesitated for a moment, still wondering if he was being serious right now. “Okay, let’s do it.”

“Yeah?” His blue eyes widened, looking into yours with an eagerness that you hadn’t seen from him in a long time.

“If you’re serious, I think it’s perfect. Our entire relationship has been unconventional. Why not shock everyone even more with a Vegas elopement?”

“This is… really exciting.” Rob smiled, “Should we ask our friends to be a part of it?” The two of you glanced up at the same time, looking around at everyone at the table. Many of them were still staring with wide eyes, mouths hanging slightly open in anticipation. Some were grinning, laughing slightly to themselves at the scene that was unfolding between the two of you. Mostly, they were quiet, breaths held as they waited.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” you replied.

“Holy shit,” Briana muttered under her breath, still loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Are you two serious right now?” Rich added. His lips were turned up into a grin, obviously amused by what was happening.

“Yeah. I mean, I’m serious,” Rob said as he looked at you.

“Me too,” you said.

“You two are really going to elope in Vegas?” This time Kim spoke. She too was smiling, eyes sparkling with excitement.

“I think so…” Rob laughed.

“Wait,” Billy spoke up, “I’m pretty sure you have to have a marriage license for it to even be legal.”

“Why are you trying to ruin the moment?” Stephen asked.

“No, I’m just trying to be logical here. Just because it’s Vegas doesn’t mean there aren’t rules,” Billy replied.

“Luckily for them,” Stephen continued, “you can get a marriage license easily here. You don’t even have to wait.”

You and Rob simultaneously looked at Stephen suspiciously at his knowledge of Vegas weddings.

“What?” he asked, “I know a friend who got married here. It’s easy. As long as you have the right documents.”

“We do,” Rob replied.

“We do?” you asked him. The idea of an elopement had never been discussed. You wondered how Rob could be so prepared for something so unplanned.

“Yeah, I looked up how to get married in Vegas before we left because I had talked to Kim earlier. I figured I’d be prepared if you decided to say yes.”

You smiled at him, loving how spur of the moment he was being right now.

“What about your dress?” Ruth said, “it’s so beautiful, it would be a shame for it to go to waste.”

Your breath caught. It almost seemed as if some of your friends were trying to talk you out of this. You couldn’t help but think this might be a bad idea. Either way, you were going to marry Rob. You weren’t sure why anyone could think this would be a bad idea.

“I may have taken care of that as well…” Rob said.

“Did you really?” you asked. You elbowed him playfully now that you realized he had been planning this all along and he was actually really prepared. He nodded at you, leaning in to give you a quick kiss.

“So, this is happening?” Matt asked.

“It is,” you replied, unable to wipe the smile from your face.

“Yes!” Kim exclaimed as she threw her hands up, “let’s do this!”

* * *

After lunch had ended, everyone was talking excitedly about what was about to happen. You left the girls in charge of getting a few things in order, proclaiming that they were still your bridesmaids even though the big wedding was off, which seemed to make them all happy. They promised to make sure everything was ready to go when you got back to the hotel. Rob also had the guys working on some other things that needed to be done beforehand. In the meantime, you and Rob had to get to the right place to actually get a marriage license.

* * *

When you arrived at the marriage license bureau, your nerves suddenly got the best of you. Sure, you were already set to marry Rob, you had been planning it for months. Something about doing this sudden elopement had you nervous though. You carried Jackson, Rob right at your side as you quickly made your way to where you were supposed to be.

The wait was short surprisingly enough. When it was your turn; you and Rob made your way to the window where a pleasant looking woman greeted you.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“We want to get married,” Rob replied quickly.

“We just need a marriage license,” you added.

“Did you fill out the form?” she asked. Rob placed the clipboard on the counter and she took it, looking it over for a moment.  “Do you have the required documents?”

Rob immediately started to dig through his pockets. He pulled out his wallet and retrieved his ID and birth certificates, yours and his. “I didn’t know if you needed these, so I brought them anyway,” he explained. You managed to pull out your wallet as well and Rob helped you find your ID which he handed over to the woman. He stopped for a second to smile at you before he leaned in for a kiss.

“Looks like everything is in order,” the woman said.

Your heart began to beat faster now. This was all very real suddenly. You worried that you may be panicking again. Rob, watched you, catching on to your nervousness.

“Are you having second thoughts?” he whispered.

“No,” you said. It was true. You weren’t having second thoughts at all. You were ready to marry this man. “I just want to make sure you’re okay with this.”

“Baby, I am okay with anything that makes you happy. As long as you’re happy, I am.”

“You don’t want the big wedding?”

“No. It’s obviously not for us. Maybe we can still do the reception in April. Have a big party for everyone who couldn’t be here for this. All I know is that I want you, and I can’t wait.”

“Alright,” you said, “we’re doing this.”

Rob grinned at you before he pulled you in for another kiss. Jackson, who had been resting rather quietly in the baby carrier that you had slung around you, stirred slightly and you began to rock him.

“Okay,” the woman at the window said after a bit of waiting, “you’re all set.” She smiled as she handed the paperwork over to Rob. She explained a few things about what needed to be done next, Rob listening intently. “Good luck you two,” she said after all of the details were handled.

“Thank you,” Rob said as the two of you walked away.

“Really? It was that easy?” you asked.

“Yeah, I know… I guess we’re ready,” Rob said. He threw his arm around your shoulders as you walked out of the building. Now, you had a lot more to do before the wedding would actually happen.

* * *

Back at the hotel, everyone who was left in charge of something had really pulled through. Stephen had reserved a spot for later that evening at a small chapel that he assured you was, “very Vegas, yet very classy.”

Rich had managed to turn his own room into a meeting place where everyone had gathered. He was currently directing people on what they could or couldn’t wear to the wedding. When he noticed you and Rob enter the room, he immediately took a hold of Rob. He explained that he had went out and got him a nicer shirt than what he had packed himself.

“I know it’s kind of sudden, but you still need to look nice for your lady,” he explained as he showed Rob the items he had bought.

“Thanks man,” Rob said. He looked genuinely touched that Rich had done that for him.

“Y/N,” Kim called out to you when she saw you, “we need to get into your room. Rob said he brought your dress, I can’t imagine the state it’s in.”

You recalled that you certainly hadn’t seen Rob carrying your dress through the airport. Your heart sank when you realized that he had probably folded it up and shoved it into one of his bags. No doubt about it, it would be a wrinkled mess by now. You and Kim rushed out of the room, heading for your own room with Briana and Ruth right behind you. Once inside, you quickly handed Jackson off to Ruth and began to rummage through Rob’s bags. Sure enough, he had done what you had hoped he hadn’t done. Shakily, you pulled the dress out and hung it on a hook near the door. You slowly unzipped the garment bag that housed your dress, already freaking out over what you knew you would find.

Once the dress was within view, you stepped back and sighed heavily. It was wrinkled badly due to being folded up like that. For the first time today, you felt really sad. You had picked this dress a while ago, knowing that it was the one that you would marry Rob in. It wasn’t big or flashy or anything; but it was simple and perfect. You had been attracted to the simple silhouette; it wasn’t huge and you knew you would be able to move in it. Your favorite thing about it was the lace. It reminded you of Nashville for some reason. Somehow, you wanted to keep a little bit of your country roots intact for your wedding. This dress was perfect for it. Now, it was a mess and you didn’t know if there would be time to fix this.

“He meant well…” Briana said as she stared at the dress with you.

“I know. He really did. I’m glad he brought it. But, can this be fixed?”

“We’ll figure it out,” she responded as she pulled out her phone. She stepped away, ready to work on finding someone who could de-wrinkle a dress quickly.

“What time did Norton say he got for us?” you asked out loud.

“6:00,” Ruth said. She was still holding Jackson, making faces at him and tickling him as he smiled at her.

You looked at your phone to check the time. “Okay, we’ve got just under four hours to pull this off.”

“Most of it’s been taken care of,” Kim said. She was now standing next to you, also staring at the dress.

“Good,” you breathed out, “and thank you. The whole point of all of this is to just relieve stress for me and Rob.”

“It’s going to be perfect. We can get this dress straightened out no problem,” Kim shot you a wink.

“Found someone who can do this right now,” Briana called over to you. She rushed to put the dress back into the bag. “I’m going to get it there so we can get this done.”

Before you could thank her, Briana was out the door with your dress.

“You guys are all so amazing,” you said.

“Hey, we want this day to be just as special as it would have been in April,” Kim replied. “I’m excited, I think this is going to be so much fun.”

“I am too. I can’t believe Rob is doing all of this for me.”

“We should start getting ready,” Kim said, moving you so that you were sitting in a chair, “okay, makeup? Hair? What are we doing?”

Ruth had put Jackson down in his bed and came to help Kim get you ready.

“Just keep it simple. Remember, I’m not a Vegas girl, I am literally from Tennessee.”

The two worked on your hair and makeup, which didn’t really take long. They kept is simple just as you had asked them to.

“Did you bring heels?” Ruth asked as she was going through your bag, looking for something that you had asked for.

“I was never going to wear heels,” you replied, “they make me taller than Rob.”

She and Kim laughed. “Well, then what will you wear?”

“I’ve got my boots in my other bag,” you said as you motioned toward it.

“Oh my goodness,” Ruth said as she pulled them out, “you are going to look so amazing.”

“They’re comfy and so much more ‘me’ than anything else.”

As the three of you finished up getting ready; Kim and Ruth having also done their own makeup and hair, and now being changed into dresses that they would wear to the ceremony; Briana finally showed up. She entered the room almost as quickly as she had left, hanging the bag back on the hook as she unzipped it, pulling the dress out for you to see.

“Oh my god,” you exclaimed, “you did it! You really did it!” You hugged her tightly, feeling as if you would cry.

“Don’t mess up your make up,” she said. She nervously checked the time. “Alright, that took some time. We’ve got a couple hours before this is happening. Let me get ready and then we’ll get you in your dress.”

* * *

After the four of you were ready, and Jackson was fed and changed as well, your friends helped you into your dress.

You stood in front of the floor-length mirror, looking at yourself. For the first time in a really long time, you smiled so uncontrollably at how happy you were. Sure, the past few months had also been happy ones, you and Rob had been more in sync than you had ever been. Now, your happiness radiated.

“You look so beautiful, Y/N,” Kim breathed as she and Briana and Ruth also stood around you, admiring your dress.

“Thank you. Thank you all so much for everything,” you turned to them, “it really means so much to me to have you all in my life. I’ve never had girlfriends before.”

“We love you,” Briana added, “we love both of you, and we honestly couldn’t be happier that Rob found you.”

Just as the moment was about to get too emotional for you, there was a light rap at the door. Ruth, who was still holding Jackson, made her way over to open it.

“Hey!” you heard her exclaim, “you can’t see the bride before the wedding.” You heard Rob’s unmistakable laugh from the other side.

“Come on, Ruth,” he said, “let me in. I’ve got to get some things from my bag.”

Ruth stepped back, allowing Rob to enter the room. He took a couple of steps in and stopped in his tracks when he saw you standing there. His mouth fell agape and he looked you up and down. You felt a slight blush form on your face at his expression.

“You…” he breathed out quietly as he stepped toward you, “you look so beautiful.”

“It’s bad luck to see the bride in her dress before the wedding,” you muttered, still slightly embarrassed.

Rob chuckled, “I think we’ve been through our fair share of bad luck Y/N.” He stepped in front of you now, moving his hand up to cup your face as tilted it so that you were looking right at him. “I’m so lucky to have you,” he said, “no bad luck could ever come from this.”

He leaned down to kiss you softly and you hummed against his lips, pleased that he felt this way.

“Besides, I really do have a few things I need to get,” he said when the kiss ended.

“Well, get to it then,” Ruth said when she noticed that he was lingering a little too long, “we’ve got to get going.”

Rob moved to his bag, digging through it until he found what he needed. He pulled his overcoat over his white button up shirt.

“I hope this is okay?” he said to you. “I didn’t bother with the tux, seemed pointless.”

You examined him. He was wearing the same thing he usually wore. Jeans, a button up, his Chuck’s, and now the overcoat.

“Don’t you always wear that?” Briana asked jokingly.

“I think it’s perfect,” you said with a smile. It really was. Everyone would be dressed fairly casual, since no one was prepared for this. It eased your mind that everyone would be comfortable at your wedding, especially Rob who you thought always looked good anyway.

“I think you’re perfect,” Rob replied as he approached you again. “I guess everyone is insisting that we arrive to the place separately. Apparently, that’s how weddings work,” he explained, indicating that he was leaving now. “I’ll see you there?”

“Of course you will,” you promised, leaning in to give him a quick kiss.

“Hurry it up ladies,” he said as he headed for the door, “Ruth, you on Jackson duty?”

“I am, and happy to do it,” she beamed as she lifted Jackson’s arm to wave at Rob.

“Well, Y/N,” Briana said once Rob had left the room, “are you ready?”

“I am,” you replied, knowing that you were exactly that.

* * *

The moments of leaving the hotel; walking through the casino in your dress and being stared at by everyone that you passed, and actually getting into the car and heading for the chapel went by in a blur. You were certain is was just nerves since you knew you were about to be married tonight, not in a couple of months like had originally be planned. The nerves were not from you second-guessing anything. Now, you recognized that you were more anxious than anything. You knew you wanted Rob and you knew you wanted to marry him. You were excited that this was happening so suddenly, instead of having to wait.

Once you had actually arrived at the place, you and the girls all piled out of the car to meet with the guys. Ruth kept Jackson with her, taking on her un-appointed caretaker role quickly. You were grateful that there was someone there who was willing to handle him while you and Rob had your moment together.

When you finally spotted the guys inside, you rushed over to them where Rob greeted you with an embrace.

“You’re here,” he said against your ear.

“Well, someone wanted to marry me, I couldn’t let him down,” you replied.

You all waited as Stephen checked on the reservation. You glanced around the room, amazed at how many of your friends were there. You had been in such a daze since lunch, you hadn’t really taken the time to notice who was a part of this. The usual suspects stood around you of course; Rich, Kim, Bri, Ruth, Billy, Mike, Matt and his wife. But, there were others that had been a big part of your lives as well. You noticed Schmelke, armed and ready with his camera; sitting with Osric, Sheppard, and Misha. You were sure that Misha hadn’t even been at lunch with the group, but here he was. You smiled at the small group of guests, grateful for every one of them. You had come to know almost all of this huge cast, but these were the ones who were always there, almost every day of every convention. They were the ones who hung around and who you had gotten to know so well. You felt slightly sad that others weren’t going to be there, since they didn’t arrive until later during cons, but you remembered how Rob had mentioned that you should still go through with the reception later.

“They’re ready, if you are,” Norton said when he returned.

You looked at Rob and he looked at you.

“I’m ready,” you said, making sure that he saw that you really were. You were sure that he had his doubts about your willingness. You had a history of running. Nothing would make you run right now.

* * *

There was no real plan. None of you had stopped to discuss what would actually happen. Rob knew that he needed to leave your side for a moment to wait for you inside the chapel. You watched him as he left, Ruth next to him with Jackson still in her arms. Everyone else had already entered the room, sitting and waiting for this to start. You stood alone right outside the door, heart racing, trying to steady your breathing. The only reason you felt nervous was over the idea that they would all be staring at you. You had nothing else to be nervous for.

It hit you suddenly. A sharp ache in your chest. You realized you were overwhelmingly sad about something that you couldn’t quite place. How could you be so sad all the sudden? You had everything you could want right now. An amazing man waiting for you to marry him, a beautiful son, and amazing friends. You then realized what the happiest day of your life was missing. Your father. You hadn’t thought of him like this in years. You had always tried not to think about your past. But, you realized that in any traditional wedding setting, your father was supposed to be there to walk you down the aisle. He had been gone for a very long time, even during the planning for the big wedding, you hadn’t even thought about him like this. You imagined that you would just walk the aisle alone, no worries. You weren’t sure why, but the idea of being alone right now made you very sad.

As you remained lost in thought, holding back tears, the door opened and you saw Rich as he stood in front of you, closing the door to the chapel behind him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked when he saw your expression.

“Nothing,” you lied.

“The music started, and you didn’t come into the room,” he said, “I think Rob was getting a little nervous.”

“My dad,” you whispered, “I just suddenly felt very sad that I don’t have him here for this.”

“Oh,” Rich said softly. He pulled you in for a hug, “okay, look, I’ll walk you out. If that’s okay. I don’t want you to be sad.”

“You’d do that for me?” You asked as you pulled away from his embrace.

“Hell yeah I will. If it gets you out there to marry my best friend, I’ll carry you if you want.”

You laughed at him, “I’d really appreciate you walking me down the aisle.”

“My pleasure,” he grinned. He linked his arm in yours and opened the door with his free hand, leading you out into the chapel.

You walked down the aisle, gripping on to Rich’s arm tightly when you noticed everyone looking at you. You could barely hear the music playing, your head was swimming now. You looked at Rob, who was waiting for you, and you felt your nervousness dissipate. He was it, he was the only reason you were here right now. You didn’t have to be nervous over what anyone was thinking or whether or not they were staring at you. Just seeing him and that look on his face was enough to calm you. It helped that you had Rich next to you, rubbing your hand thoughtfully as you walked.

Once you were up front, standing right next to Rob, you almost forgot about the other people there. You stared at him, hoping he too was still on board with all of this. He took your hand and leaned in to whisper in your ear, “you are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.” You blushed again, moving in so that you could speak quietly to him as well, “and you are the most amazing man I have ever known.”

With that, the ceremony started. The officiant spoke in front of the two of you, but you almost didn’t pay attention to what she was saying. You couldn’t help but watch Rob and his expressions. He had a smile that wouldn’t fade, and occasionally he would glance over at you, sometimes winking at you or just mouthing an ‘I love you’.

You had decided on traditional vows, and you were startled when it came time for that.

“Repeat after me,” she said to Rob first. He turned toward you, taking both of your hands in his, as he looked you in the eyes.

“I, Rob, take you, Y/N, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part.” He spoke boldly, repeating her easily, his eyes never leaving yours.

Suddenly, it was your turn. You hoped you wouldn’t screw this up, because you were noticeably even more nervous than Rob was. He squeezed your hands when he noticed your eyes grow wide. The officiant spoke and somehow, you were able to repeat the same vows just as perfectly as Rob had. The vows were over before you could even process it.

“Do you have the rings?” she asked. Rich moved in quickly, handing the rings over to Rob. You took each other’s rings and placed them on each other, smiling as you did so.

“By the power vested in me and the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” You looked at the woman that you didn’t know, who was officiating your wedding as she said these words. It was unreal that everything had happened so quickly and painlessly. You looked back to Rob who was still smiling and holding your hands.

“Maybe we should kiss?” he asked.

You laughed and nodded at him, just now feeling the tears well up in your eyes. He pulled you in by your waist and you wrapped your arms around his neck as his lips met yours. It was the perfect kiss, the one that you imagined you would have on your wedding day. It wasn’t rushed or too heated, it was slow and passionate. It was almost as if Rob were reminding you that the two of you still had all the time in the world to be together. You felt him sigh into your lips, and you immediately felt his calmness envelop you. You were no longer aware of everyone else there. You, if only for a brief moment, got lost in the thought that it was you and Rob right now. In this split second, he was all there was. After a few moments, you pulled away and pressed your forehead to his. He closed his eyes and hummed in appreciation.

“I didn’t plan on falling fast, I didn’t know I could be kissed like that…” you heard him singing softly as you continued to stand there, looking into each other’s eyes. The sound of everyone’s cheering drowned out by the moment that you were locked into with him.

“Our song,” you muttered with a smile.

“Yeah, still fitting after all this time.”

“I love you Benedict,” you said, moving yourself so that you could nuzzle into his neck, his beard tickling your face.

“Hmm, I love you too, Mrs. Benedict.” You felt him wrap his arms around you tighter, and in this moment, you felt that your life was complete.


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Are you ready for Part 2 of the wedding night?
> 
> Rob and Reader celebrate with their friends and spend their first night together as husband and wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Hey Darlin” is referenced.

You and Rob were pulled away from your moment; suddenly surrounded by your friends. In a daze, you found yourself hugging people as they approached you, offering their congratulations. Ruth approached you, Jackson still in her arms and you smiled at him. You carefully took him from her, holding him close.

“There’s my baby,” you said as he smiled at you. Rob returned to your side after he was able to pull himself away from everyone, leaning down to kiss Jackson. Your heart felt full at the sight of him and Jackson. You finally had your own little family, and you also had a much larger family by extension of Rob’s close friends.

“My two favorite guys,” you said to Rob when he looked at you. He smirked at you, and gave you another quick kiss.

The next thing you knew, the entire group was heading for the exit. Your whirlwind wedding was over; done quickly yet still very much perfect. You all gathered in the other room, the entire space buzzing with excitement.

“Now we celebrate,” you heard a voice call out. You looked around for the familiar voice and noticed Jason there. He hadn’t been there before and you wondered when he had actually shown up.

“Hey man,” Rob said to him, “I’m glad you made it.”

“How did you make it? I didn’t even see you!” You said as he hugged you tightly.

“I literally just landed, saw the text from Rich that this was happening, and booked it here. I sat down just before you walked out,” he explained. “You two are just full of surprises.”

“Well, thank you for coming,” you laughed.

“Wouldn’t miss this for anything,” he said. “Now we get to celebrate, right?”

“Hell yeah we get to celebrate,” Matt chimed in, throwing his arm around Rob.

“Um, hey… yeah, the married couple brought a baby to Vegas,” you reminded them as you held Jackson up, “I don’t think there will be much celebrating.”

“She’s right,” Rob added, “there will be plenty of time for that later.”

“Uh, no,” Matt argued, “Mandy said she wants to keep Jackson for the night so the two of you can celebrate and… you know, spend some time together.”

Your face reddened, suddenly feeling very embarrassed.

“Nah, man, we can’t do that.” Rob said. He must have been reading your mind over the idea of leaving Jackson with someone else overnight. “He’s only two months old, we wouldn’t want to leave her with that responsibility.”

“Does he at least sleep through the night?” Mandy asked as she joined the discussion.

“Pretty much, he maybe wakes up once to be fed, but otherwise he’s a good baby,” Rob explained.

“Then I don’t see what the problem is.”

Rob looked at you, raising his eyebrows as if this wasn’t a bad idea.

“No, I haven’t been away from him ever. I don’t know that I could…” you said.

“Y/N, it’s good to have some time alone with your husband,” Mandy began, “trust me, it keeps the relationship fresh. Besides, he’s not too little to be away from you for one night.”

“What if he needs me for something? What if he misses me?”

“Then I’ll call you if it’s that serious,” she laughed, “besides, he looks like he’s ready for bed right now.”

You looked down at him and sure enough, he was looking sleepy. It had been an eventful day, and he had only napped sporadically. You were actually pretty certain that he’d end up sleeping all the way through the night with no problem.

“Come on honey,” Rob urged you as he nuzzled into your neck, “one night isn’t going to hurt anything. Let me just be with you tonight without worrying about distractions for once.”

When he pulled away, you nodded at him. Maybe it would be best for Jackson to stay with someone else for the night. After all, it was your wedding night, and you wanted nothing more than to let Rob be your main focus for once.

“Perfect,” Mandy beamed as she reached out to take Jackson from you. you hesitantly handed him over.

“I’m gonna get these two back to the hotel,” Matt said, “can I get his stuff from your room?”

“Yeah, he’s got his bassinet there. Everything else is pretty much in his bag that Ruth had,” he handed Matt the room key and began searching for Ruth. When he found her, he retrieved Jackson’s bag and car seat. “He’s got a lot of stuff, sorry.” He dug through the bag, making sure there were diapers and formula; the important things.

“Rob, we have a kid, I know how this works,” Mandy laughed as she bounced on her feet to sooth the baby. He didn’t once cry as Mandy held him. You sort of wanted him to. You wanted him to realize that he would be without his mom for the night and that maybe it would upset him. You knew you were having a harder time with being away from him that he was.

“Bye bye buddy,” Rob cooed at Jackson as Matt gathered all of his belongings. You only leaned in to give him a kiss as Mandy whisked him away. You must have looked just as sad as you felt because Rob wrapped his arms around you to comfort you.

“It’s going to be okay,” he said, “you know that, right?”

“I know. I just haven’t been away from him before.”

“Hey,” he put a hand under your chin and tilted your face up toward his, “it’s our wedding night. Let’s be irresponsible for once.”

You raised a brow at him, “you don’t think we’ve been irresponsible enough?”

“Touché,” he laughed, “okay, let’s just have fun instead.”

“Okay,” you nodded, agreeing to at least give it a shot.

* * *

You had all decided on a nearby bar to celebrate. It was nothing fancy, just the way you liked it. All you knew is that you and Rob would be together, along with your closest friends.

“I’m surprised that we can actually go out on a Wednesday night,” you said when you got into one of the cars.

“It’s Vegas, everything stays open all the time,” Stephen assured you.

You laughed as you leaned against Rob, still trying to process that he was actually your husband now.

“Do you need anything?” Rob asked, “did you want to change?”

“This is the one time I get to wear this dress,” you replied, “it’s staying on all night. At least it’s comfortable.”

“Well, I hope it doesn’t stay on _all_ night,” Rob said, grinning at you.

“Gross,” Stephen grimaced as he overheard the conversation, “save it for the honeymoon.”

“This is it buddy,” Rob laughed, “the wedding and the honeymoon, all in one night.”

“Better make the most of it then,” Kim said as she playfully elbowed Stephen.

* * *

You knew that once you all arrived at the bar that drinks would be the first thing happening. You just hadn’t realized how many drinks would be happening. It had been a long time since you had had a drink, even after you had to stop breastfeeding, you still hadn’t had alcohol in months. You became nervous when the drinks were ordered and delivered to the rather large table that your party had taken over. There was a lot going on; loud music, a surprising amount of people filling the place, and now a table full of drinks.

“It’s okay,” Rob assured you as he handed you a beer, “stay away from the shots and the mixed stuff for now.”

You took a long drink of the beer, pleased at how wonderful it tasted. You realized then just how much you missed being able to have a beer. The two of you talked for a while, taking a moment to forget what was going on around you. It was nice to just be able to have a conversation with him after how busy today had been. You talked about nothing important, just general thoughts that you wanted to share with each other. When he noticed your drink was empty, he reached across the table and retrieved another, handing it over to you.

“Are you trying to get me drunk?” you asked.

“Not at all,” he replied, “in fact, I don’t want you to get drunk. We’ve still got the whole night ahead of us.”

You leaned into him, kissing him deeply. As you were lost in him for a moment, you noticed the loud, droning music had changed and you were able to hear yourself think finally. Through the speakers you heard the slow guitar and unmistakable voice play through the bar as the song changed.

“Wow,” you said as you pulled your lips away from his, “they have Swain in this bar?”

“I have a feeling one of our friends may have something to do with it,” he replied, face red with embarrassment.

“I guess this is our wedding song,” you giggled.

“Hmm, we should dance then,” he said as he took your hand in his to lead you to the dancefloor. You obliged, following him to the center of the room as your friends surrounded you to watch. Even the other patrons stepped aside, knowing that this was pretty typical when it came to Vegas weddings. You kept your focus on Rob as he wrapped an arm around your waist, still holding your hand with his free hand. You placed your hand on his shoulder as he moved you around the dancefloor. You noticed the people around you; your friends smiling as they watched, happy to be a part of this moment. You also noticed the other people who were not a part of your wedding. Some watched quiety, others definitely had their phones out, aimed right at the two of you. You were certain your elopement wouldn’t remain a secret for long, but looking at him, you knew you didn’t care. You wanted the world to know that he was yours.

“Hey Darlin, can you dance with me tonight? Let me hold you tight in my arms…” you laughed as Rob sang along to his own song, eyes not leaving yours.

“You’re in quite the singing mood tonight,” you leaned in to whisper in his ear.

“I’ve got a lot to sing about,” he replied, “Do you remember when I sang this for you when we met?”

“I do,” you responded, thinking back to the Nashville convention and how he had secretly serenaded you with the song during his concert.

“I always knew it would be you.”

“What do you mean?” You asked wistfully.

“I knew you were the one the first moment I laid eyes on you. Somehow, I knew I’d end up dancing with you at our wedding.”

“We always end up where we need to be eventually,” you said.

“You make me so happy,” he said just as the song ended. You leaned in, kissing him again. You didn’t think you could ever get tired of kissing him.

You stayed there, kissing for some time as the music changed and the dancefloor filled back up with the random people that you didn’t know. It didn’t matter. Nothing but this moment with him mattered.

“I’m sorry we ended up at a bar for our wedding night,” Rob said as the two of you left the dancefloor, “I know it’s not what we pictured.”

“It’s perfect,” you reassured him, “as long as I’m with you, everything is perfect.”

When you reached the table, some of your friends joined you. Everyone was drinking, laughing, and just genuinely having fun. You smiled when you realized how perfect it all really was. Not only were you married to Rob, you were spending the occasion with the people you loved the most.

“Hey lovebirds,” Rich said as he cut in between the two of you, drink in hand. “I hope you don’t mind that I took it upon myself to choose the song for your first dance.”

“It was great,” Rob laughed, “good choice.”

“Don’t think I didn’t know that you sang that for her in Nashville. A good best man never forgets.”

“You did good Rich,” Rob said.

“Then tell me I’m the greatest best man to ever exist.”

“No, I’m not saying that,” Rob replied.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to. We both know you want to though.”

“Whatever man,” Rob laughed as he took a drink of his beer.

“This whole thing is really unplanned,” Rich mused as he looked around the bar.

“That was the point,” Rob added, “you know, no plan… no stress over having to have a plan.”

“Still, there’s no cake, no gifts, hell we don’t even get to pick the music.” Rich seemed slightly miffed over how everything was going. You couldn’t help but smile at him and how he, more than anyone, really wanted this to be special for the two of you.

“It’s fine,” you said, “I’m here with my husband and my favorite people. That’s all I could ever ask for.”

“Hmm,” he scowled, “well, at least you could dance with me then. I just wish I could’ve cut in between you and Rob, like a real wedding where the best man steals the heart of the unsuspecting bride of his best friend.”

Rob rolled his eyes, “How is that like a real wedding at all?”

“Well, I think it’s just me. I’ve always wanted to go to a wedding like that.”

“Man, just dance with her already.”

Rich held his hand out to you and you took it with a laugh, leaning over to kiss Rob before you left.

“Have fun you crazy kids,” Rob called as Rich led you to the dancefloor.

“I don’t know what this song is,” you said as he got you into dancing position.

“Me neither, but at least it’s danceable,” he replied.

“Hey, I want to thank you for everything today. It really means a lot to me,” you said loudly, trying to speak over the music.

Rich spun you around the dancefloor, being careful not to collide with the other people there. “It really is no problem. Rob’s my best friend, and I wanted to do what I could to make it go smoothly for him.”

“Yeah,” you said, smiling at his sentiment.

“And for you too, you know.” He added. “I like you.”

“We’ve established that,” you chuckled.

“No, I’m for once, not hitting on you. I’m speaking to you as a friend. You’re so important to Robbie, and you’ve become very important to me too.”

“Thank you,” you replied, not sure of what else to say.

“Just… don’t hurt him.”

“I think I’ve done enough of that,” you said regretfully.

“Yeah, but you also were the only one who fixed him.”

“I think we’ve fixed each other,” you said truthfully. It was true. While Rob had made it very clear that you were it for him, the only thing that could make him happy; you felt the same way about him. He had literally come along and repaired whatever it was that had been broken in you. Sure, it was still a process, as you never felt completely okay, but being with him certainly had changed your life for the better. “I’m not afraid anymore,” you continued, “I have never felt so happy… so… safe.”

“You’ve been good to each other, despite all the hiccups,” he said as he continued to move you around the dancefloor. “And you’ll continue to be good to each other.”

“Yeah, we will,” you replied as you rested your head on his shoulder, “it can only keep getting better, right?”

“With you two? I think so,” he laughed.

The song ended and Rich made sure to twirl you suddenly under his arm. You giggled and thanked him again as he led you off the dance floor.

You spent the next hour or so treating the other guys to dances. Rob too had danced with the ladies. For a while it seemed as if you and Rob hadn’t even had any contact at all. You danced with a rather drunk Misha who took it upon himself to emotionally tell you how happy he was for the two of you and how he only wanted the best for you. Thankfully, the other guys didn’t get so sappy.

* * *

Later that night, you watched as your friends drank to their hearts content; you and Rob making sure that you both took it easy. It was your wedding night, and the first night you would get to spend alone together in a long time. You both decided that you wanted to be completely present.

Rob was standing with the guys, laughing and talking. You smiled at how happy he looked. For the first time since the beginning of your relationship, you felt as if you had finally done good by him. You had spent so much time ruining things with him, it was a breath of fresh air to actually see him enjoying himself and smiling now that you were married. Also, you found yourself smiling more. You were inconceivably happy lately.

“Y/N,” you heard Kim call out to you as she joined you at the table. Ruth and Briana joined the two of you as well.

“Hey,” you said as they sat with you, “are you having fun?”

“Hell yeah we are,” Briana answered, “this is probably the coolest wedding I’ve ever been to. They’re usually so stuffy and boring.”

“Glad we could entertain you.”

“Really though,” she continued, “I gotta say, I really didn’t think either of you had it in you to get a little crazy like this.”

“Well, I guess love makes people do crazy things.”

“You’re happy though?” Kim asked suddenly.

“Yeah, of course I am.”

“Good, I just want to make sure this is what you really wanted. No regrets?”

“None at all,” you said as you glanced toward Rob again, “this was the best idea we’ve ever had. We get to be together and spend this moment with our best friends.”

“And there’s still the wedding night,” Ruth smirked at you.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… your first night together as husband and wife,” she continued to smile at you, teasing you slightly.

“Oh yeah,” you shook your head with a chuckle.

“Are you nervous?” Briana asked.

You cocked your head at her, “why would I be nervous? It’s not like Rob and I haven’t slept together before.”

“I don’t know, just the idea that now you’re married. Tonight could set the tone for the entire marriage,” she said.

“Oh, jeez,” you blushed, “now maybe I’m a little nervous.”

“Don’t listen to her,” Kim said, “she’s teasing.”

“Don’t tease me like that,” you huffed, “it’s bad enough it’s been a while, I don’t want to screw this up.”

“How long has it been since you two… you know?” Kim asked in shock, hinting at what she was trying to ask.

“Oh, I mean… we’ve definitely fooled around. Usually we get interrupted by Jackson though.”

“Okay,” Briana added, “but when was the last time you actually did it.”

“Uh…” you tried to think, scrunching your face up as you attempted to think back as far as you could.

“If you have to think about it that hard, it’s been too long,” Ruth said.

“We just had a baby. Our sex life was pretty non-existent through the last few months of my pregnancy,” you explained, “and then I had to wait so long after he was born. Even since then, it just seems like there’s no time. We’re both always so tired and we get interrupted a lot.”

“Girl, you need to get laid,” Briana said, “good thing it’s your wedding night and you don’t have the baby to worry about.” She dug through her purse for a moment until she found what she was looking for. Suddenly, you had a handful of something in your face and you leaned back to focus on what it was.

“Here, just be safe this time,” she said as you realized it was a handful of condoms.

“Jesus, Bri!” you shouted as you shoved her hand down. You felt your face flush again and you looked around to make sure no one else had seen.

“Don’t act so innocent,” she said, “I’m just making sure you stay safe this time.”

“I don’t need those. Trust me, I’m taking precautions now,” you said as you took a nervous drink of your beer.

“Aw, my sweet girl is all grown up and responsible,” Kim laughed as she brushed a strand of hair from your face. “Really though, don’t let them make you nervous. It’s normal to have a stale sex life after having a baby. But, you get to enjoy each other tonight at least.”

“Thanks,” you said, grateful for Kim and her friendship. She was always good at relationship advice. She had gotten you through some of the most difficult things within the past ten months.

Almost as if on cue, Rob approached you, asking the girls if he could steal you away for a moment.

“She’s all yours,” Kim said with a grin.

Rob took your hand and lead you toward a quiet corner of the bar. Before you could ask him what was going on, he pulled you into him, kissing you as if he hadn’t kissed you all day.

“I will never get tired of that,” you said as the kiss ended.

“Good, because I want to kiss you all the time.” He said against your lips. You closed your eyes as you enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms.

“I was wondering,” he began, letting himself hang on the words for a moment before he finished, “if you were ready to get out of here.”

“Are we ditching our wedding party?” you asked.

Rob shrugged, grinning at you, “maybe. I thought we could escape now while they’re all drunk and having fun. It’ll be a minute before they realize we’re not here.”

“That’s so mean. We don’t even say goodbye?”

“No, we just walk right out,” he explained, “go back to the hotel… because I don’t think I can wait any longer to have you.”

“Sounds good to me,” you breathed out, suddenly very excited over the thought of the night you would spend with him.

He gripped onto your hand and very quickly pulled you toward the door when he thought no one was watching.

* * *

Once inside your room, Rob moved quickly; closing the door behind him before he moved on you, kissing you heatedly. His hands gripped your back, pulling you into him as much as he could. You gasped as he moved his hips against yours, now aching for him.

“Please,” you whimpered, “I need you now.”

“I always love when you beg for me,” he growled against your mouth. He grabbed your hand to lead you to the bed. You both stopped when you noticed the state of the room that you certainly hadn’t expected to come back to.

“Matt…” Rob chuckled when he realized he had been the only one who had one of your room keys. You giggled, nuzzling into Rob’s side as you took a moment to take it all in. The entire bed had been covered with rose petals, single roses scattered among the comforter. The night stands were filled with small tealight candles which you quickly realized were the fake kind. At least Matt had considered fire safety as he decorated.

“Hey,” you said as you realized they weren’t just any candles, “aren’t these the candles they give out during the concert?”

Rob moved to examine them closer, sure enough, they were exactly what you thought they were.

“Well, he’s resourceful,” Rob said, “and he works quick.”

“It’s sweet,” you smiled at the gesture.”

“Yeah, but these are going to be unpleasant,” he said as he reached down and picked up a rose off the bed. Instead of wasting time by cleaning the mess up, he grabbed the comforter and shook all of the roses and petals to the ground, making sure there were no strays in the bed.

“Aw, you ruined his hard work,” you pouted.

“Trust me, his hard work is the last thing on my mind right now,” he growled as he moved toward you again, taking your mouth with his roughly, hands gripping you harder.

Instead of throwing you onto the bed like you half expected him to, he turned you around so that your back was to him. You felt him begin to work at the buttons on your dress, now begin a bit more gentle.

“Wow, this dress sure has a lot of buttons,” he muttered. You could still feel him fumbling with them.

“Not once in this entire relationship have I ever made you work for it,” you laughed, “don’t complain that our wedding night is the first time you have to.”

“Fair enough,” he replied. He moved his hand up to brush your hair out of the way, allowing his fingertips to caress the nape of your neck. You felt him lean in slightly, letting his lips find that sweet spot on your neck. You let your head fall back against him, sighing at the feeling of having him touch you. His hands still worked at the buttons on your dress, but you could tell that he was getting closer to having them all undone.

He continued to touch you and kiss you as he worked. When he finally had them undone, he gently slipped the sleeves of the dress down over your arms, eliciting goosebumps on your skin, until the entire thing fell into a heap on the floor. He spun you around, taking a moment to look at you.

“I will never get over how beautiful you are,” he said as he continued to undress you. In turn, you feverishly began to undress him. You pulled off his waistcoat and discarded it and quickly worked at the buttons on his shirt.

“And that’s how it’s done,” you stated proudly as you tossed the shirt aside.

“Show off,” he breathed out as you made quick work of his jeans.

Once he was undressed, he grabbed your face and pulled you in for another kiss. You felt his tongue move against your lips and you eagerly opened your mouth, allowing him to deepen the kiss. You stood there for some time, kissing and touching each other, enjoying the rare quiet moment that you were sharing. Before you could suggest that you move to the bed, he was reaching down to scoop you up into his arms. You cried out in surprise when he had you in his arms, not expecting it at all.

“I forgot to carry you into the room,” he said as he made his way to the bed with you, “I hope this makes up for it.”

You giggled as he placed you down on the bed, amazed that he was even able to carry you in the first place. Sometimes, you would forget just how strong he really was. Before you could compose yourself, he laid on top of you, moving himself between your thighs, causing your breath to catch.

“Don’t tell me you’re nervous,” he smirked, “we’ve done this before.”

“It’s been a little while,” you reminded him. It had been quite a while since you had been intimate like this. Sure, you had fooled around often, each making sure that you got the other off as often as you could. But, you couldn’t remember the last time you had actually made love. It was something that you missed about your relationship. The beginning had been so intense and sex happened frequently. While parenthood was amazing and rewarding, it really did affect this part of your relationship.

“Yeah, too long,” he leaned down, letting his lips crash against yours as he moved his hips against you again. You moaned into his mouth, wrapping your arms around his neck. You wanted him now and you weren’t sure that you could wait much longer. He didn’t hesitate. You felt him line up with you and he slowly pushed into you. You reached up, tightening your fists into his hair as you cried out. He grunted against your neck as he filled you completely, stilling himself for a moment before he began to grind into you.

You sighed against his ear, causing him to groan in response. He didn’t stop his movements as he brought his face against yours, breathing heavy with each thrust of his hips.

“I love you so much,” he said in between stuttered breaths. You moved your face to his, prompting him to look at you. He stilled for a moment as he made eye contact, making you ache even more for him. You moved in to kiss him hard, to which he gladly returned the favor.

“I love you,” you whispered when his eyes found yours again. “Please, don’t stop,” you begged him.

He immediately began to move again, thrusting into you slowly as he watched you. This was perfect. Just being with him like this, not worrying about anything else. The feeling of having him like this again was almost overwhelming. You watched him intently as he made love to you, taking his time as he fucked into you and kissed you lazily. Eventually, you began to feel your orgasm building and your breath quickly picked up as you panted against his mouth. When he realized you were close, he picked up speed, pushing into you harder.

“Fuck, Y/N,” he muttered against your ear as he continued to move. Just hearing him say your name, his voice filled with lust, was enough to finally send you over the edge. You moaned as you climaxed, gripping onto him so hard that you were sure you would leave marks on his back. He followed suit, groaning as he came, hips stuttering as he continued to drive into you. He moved his hand to your face, pulling it to his so that he could take your mouth with his again. He kissed you hard as his body trembled against yours. Moving his hand to the back of your head, he fisted his hand in your hair, pulling you toward him as you both stared at each other.

You watched him as he looked at you, still coming down from your highs. He peppered your face with kisses, still moving his hips gently against yours causing you to gasp occasionally over how sensitive you were now. You held him, not wanting to ever let go.

He hesitantly moved off of you, laying next to you with his arm under your head so he could hold you close. Neither of you spoke. You just looked into each other’s eyes, silently letting the other know that you loved them, One of the best things about your relationship was that silence like this was usually not awkward. In fact, you both loved the fact that you could just lie here quietly without having to speak. He held you close and you draped your arm across his chest, letting your fingertips trace circles along his skin.

You were exhausted after today and you were sure he was as well. So, you stayed like this for a while before sleep found both of you.

* * *

You woke the next morning to Rob’s alarm. Both of you groaning as he reached over to turn it off. You remained wrapped up in his arms, not wanting to move from this spot. Regardless of how amazing last night had been and how much the two of you wanted to stay like this all day, he still had a job to do today.

“Hmm,” you hummed as you pressed your lips against his chest, “can’t we stay in bed for a bit longer?”

“Just a little longer,” he replied, “Mandy also told me she’d let us know when Jackson is awake.”

You suddenly felt a pang in your chest, feeling guilty over the fact that he was still with her. You had been so worried about leaving him with someone for the night, and then you had completely forgotten about your concerns as the night went on. Now, you really wished he was here with you.

“What are you doing?” you asked when you noticed Rob thumbing through his phone.

“Checking Twitter,” he mumbled.

“Oh, my social media obsessed husband… I almost forgot.”

Rob smiled at you, “just so you’re aware, we’re all over the internet apparently.”

“Oh?” you said, not really caring about that at all. You knew someone at some point would have recognized Rob yesterday, and there were plenty of people at the bar with cell phones out.

“You don’t care?”

“Not really, as long as it’s nothing bad.”

“Nope,” he said, holding his phone down so that you could both look at it, “lots of people congratulating us, lots of pictures that we didn’t know were taken, and some… colorful tweets from our friends.”

You chuckled against him, letting your eyes read through some of the tweets but not really caring so much about that right now.

“Ugh,” Rob groaned after a few minutes of checking his accounts, “I really need to get up and get ready.”

“Then you’d better get going,” you said as you playfully pushed him away from you.

“Just one more kiss,” he mumbled as he moved over you, gently pinning you against the bed with the weight of his body. He kissed you hard, letting his mouth linger once he was finished.

“Go,” you said as he laid there, staring at you, “before I change my mind and you’re late for the first day.”

Rob didn’t argue, he gave you a peck on the cheek and hurriedly made his way to the bathroom to shower. You propped yourself against the headboard of the bed, smiling to yourself with that same grin that you hadn’t been able to remove from your face since yesterday. You grabbed your phone, now curious as to what was going on in your social media accounts. Sure, you had them, but you rarely used them. Hell, you had only started following Rob and your friends on there within the past few months when they managed to find you. Before you could open your Twitter, you saw that you had a few text messages so you decided to read those first. There was one from Kim and one from Rich from last night, mostly asking where you had gone, probably when they finally realized that you and Rob had disappeared suddenly. The other was from Schmelke that had been sent just this morning, which was slightly odd as you didn’t necessarily talk to him often. You opened it anyway, grinning ear to ear when you saw that he had sent you a photo from last night. The man really did know how to take a great photo. This one was of you and Rob, just after you had exchanged vows and had your first kiss. In the photo, you had your heads pressed against each other’s, looking into each other’s eyes, both smiling. You had almost forgotten that he had been there with his camera, and you were excited to see what else he might have captured.

You quickly saved the photo to your phone after sending Chris a thank you text. Then, you opened your Twitter, taking a moment to look through your feed. You smiled at all of the positivity there. Tweets from all your friends, congratulating the two of you, commenting on how much fun they had had. You eventually found Rob’s tweet from this morning and you laughed out loud to see that he had shared a rather silly photo of the two of you from the bar. It was slightly unflattering, as you were both holding beers and making faces as if you weren’t prepared for the photo to be taken. You couldn’t help but wonder who had even taken it since it was slightly blurry. The thing that got to you the most was what Rob had typed to go along with it: “married my best friend last night, vegas style. @Y/T/H you make me so happy & I look forward to our lives together”

It was sweet and to the point and silly. You bit your lip as you thought hard. It wasn’t your style to throw pictures of yourself out there on the internet. You had always been very private. You looked back through your tweets, realizing that you hadn’t actually tweeted in months. For the first time in a really long time, you wanted to share your happiness with the people who followed you, your fans and your friends. So you opened up a new tweet, adding the photo that Chris had sent to you, and began to type Rob’s twitter handle before you added your message: “so happy to finally have you as my husband. My little family is complete. Thanks to all who shared our day with us.”

As you closed out Twitter, Rob had exited the bathroom, towel wrapped around him as he began to dig through his bag for clothes. You looked at the time, realizing that he was cutting it close to when he needed to be at the convention. You watched him as he got ready, still amazed that you were actually married. The entire night seemed to have gone by so quickly, you were only now able to take a moment to think back about what had went on.

“You ready for today?” you asked curiously as he finished getting ready.

“I am,” he replied, “it’s going to be interesting.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure everyone knows that we eloped.”

“That’s okay. I expect lots of questions and congratulations from the fans.”

“I hope so,” you replied, biting your lip nervously again, “I hope they don’t get too mean.”

“They’re not like that,” Rob promised as he looked at his phone, “trust me, they’re going to be happy for us. Just prepare yourself for all the kindness you’ll get today.”

You laughed lightly, “okay, I trust you.”

“I’ve got to go,” he said as he moved in for another kiss, “Mandy says Jackson is awake. I’ll see you both down there.”

“Alright, I’ll get ready real quick and go get him. See you soon, husband.” You giggled at being able to call him that. You were still giddy over the night you had had.

“Okay, wife,” he replied with a grin. He quickly grabbed his belongings and headed out the door.

* * *

After you were showered, you found Matt and Mandy’s room to retrieve Jackson who was extremely happy to see you. Mandy assured you that he had done really well. He had slept through the night and gave her no problems. She even insisted that you let her know if you ever needed a babysitter, she’d the be the first one you call.

You got ready for the day in record time, all while getting Jackson set as well. You made your way to the convention area, Jackson in tow. As soon as you arrived and started walking through the hall that was slowly filling with fans, you couldn’t help but blush as you noticed everyone who had stopped to look at you. You knew they were curious, so you didn’t feel too anxious over their staring, but you hurried toward the greenroom regardless.

Something about the greenroom immediately calmed you. It had become a comforting place to be after all this time, almost like a home away from home. Luckily, you were greeted by some of the other early birds who had to be at the con early. Kim was there with Rich and the band. You looked around, trying to find Rob when Billy approached you.

“Hey Billy,” you beamed at him as he pulled you in for a hug, careful not to squeeze Jackson who was draped over your body in his carrier.

“Congrats,” he said as he pulled away, “I didn’t really get a chance to tell you that last night.”

“Well, it was a crazy night.”

“Yeah, but a lot of fun,” he chuckled, “you both seem really happy.”

“We are,” you replied, “where is he anyway?” you asked, still searching the room for him.

Billy shrugged, “he was here, then he said he had something he needed to do. He left with Briana and Ruth not too long ago.”

“Oh,” you frowned, “okay. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to put some of this stuff down.” Your arms were aching under the weight of all the things you packed around for Jackson. It was always too much stuff, but you always felt the constant need to be extra prepared.

“Let me,” Billy offered as he took a hold of the oversized diaper bag, “holy, this is heavy.”

“I tend to overdo it,” you laughed as you followed him to one of the couches where he set the bag down. You took a seat on the couch, cradling Jackson who was now getting fussy. You began to rock him, watching him as he whined at you. You only glanced up when you noticed Billy take a seat next to you, watching you and Jackson quietly.

“Do you wanna hold him?” You asked, eyeing him as he watched you.

“Yeah,” he answered happily, “I haven’t held him yet.”

“Really?” you asked, trying to think back to a time when any of the bad had actually held him, “I guess you haven’t… here,” you passed Jackson to him.

You and Billy sat there for some time, having a nice conversation while he held Jackson. The only time the two of you had ever really conversed was when he was checking in on you and Rob’s relationship. Like anyone else in this group, he was always concerned that Rob might be moving too quickly or making bad decisions. This however, was nice. It almost felt as if the ones who were a little weary of you were finally accepting you and making the effort to include you.

In the middle of your conversation; Rob, Briana, and Ruth had returned to the greenroom. They were each carrying boxes and bags, moving toward one of the tables to set down what they had brought in. You stood up, leaving Jackson with Billy to go and see what was going on.

“What is all this?” you asked Rob as you snuck up behind him, wrapping your arms around his waist.

He turned toward you, a sly grin on his face, “well, we were missing a few things last night, so I decided to make up for it today.”

The girls began to dig through the bags, removing what looked like decorations. They made quick work of what they had, moving around the greenroom when you realized that they were now hanging wedding decorations. You giggled at the “just married” signs and other decorations that were being placed all around the room.

“What’s in the box?” you asked, pointing to the largest of the boxes on the table.

“Oh,” Rob began as he opened the lid to show you, “that is the wedding cake that we didn’t have.”

Sure enough, there was a simple cake inside the box. He must have had it made last minute, because it was generically decorated with your names written in frosting across the top.

“It’s nothing fancy,” he frowned, “but I felt like I had to do something.”

“It’s wonderful,” you said, “thank you for doing this.”

“Want some?” he asked.

“It’s like, 10 am, maybe we can wait until later when the others show up.”

“Good idea. Besides, we need to get out there,” he said motioning toward the band and Rich, “time to get this thing started.”

Billy handed Jackson back to you as the guys all got ready to go on stage. You grabbed Rob’s hand, pulling him closer to you for a kiss.

“Hey, good luck out there,” you said.

“It’s gonna be great,” he replied, “really, the worst that will happen is the entire weekend with be filled with questions about us.”

“I’m sorry,” you laughed.

“Don’t be. I’m ready for it.”

“Well, Jackson and I will be out there to watch,” you said.

“Good, I love having my family here for support.”

* * *

You took your seat in the auditorium, carefully holding Jackson and hoping that he could sit through most of the opening. You noticed some of the fans watching you, whispering amongst themselves as you waited. So far, none of it seemed threatening. For once, you felt comfortable in this setting. Maybe Rob had been right all along. This group of people were very accepting and didn’t make you feel uncomfortable anymore.

When the band took the stage, Rob and Rich right behind them, you smiled as they got the long weekend started. The band played a song, Rob singing and Rich improvising the opening. You laughed along with the rest of the room at their playful banter and jokes. After a few minutes, Rich decided to get serious, and your heart beat wildly once you realized what he was doing.

“It’s time to address the elephant in the room,” Rich said seriously.

“Hey now, watch it,” Rob laughed, knowing full well what was about to happen.

Rich turned to address the crowd, “this guy had a wild first night here in Vegas,” he paused as the audience erupted into applause. “Robbie, you’re officially off the market now.”

“I am,” Rob replied with a grin.

“Well, the saying is wrong,” Rich said, “what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas. You’re taking her home with you, right?”

Rob gave a full-body laugh, “I sure hope so,” he said.

“For those of you living under a rock, Bob-o here got married last night,” another pause as the audience cheered, “sometimes he takes Vegas a little too seriously.”

“Hey,” Rob retorted, “it was just very spur of the moment.”

“I know, I was the one rushing around making sure everything went smoothly.”

“Thanks for that.”

“Greatest best man to ever live,” Rich said, motioning to himself, “say it, you know you want to.”

“Pretty decent best man,” Rob replied causing the audience to laugh in unison again.

“In all seriousness though, it was a lovely wedding and everyone had a good time,” Rich said, “so let’s congratulate the new couple.” There was more cheering from the audience and you couldn’t help but smile all the way through.

“Thank you,” Rob said when the room had quieted down. You couldn’t really tell from where you were sitting, but you sure he was blushing right now.

“We’re all very happy for you, and thank you for bringing your lovely wife into our lives,” Rich continued, now causing you to blush.

“She’s here,” Rob said pointing toward where you were sitting, “and so is our son.”

You felt everyone’s eyes avert in your direction, only this time, you didn’t cower down in your seat. You sat there proudly, glancing around the room to smile at anyone who was now looking at you.

“Be good to them,” Rich warned the audience, “I’m still working on stealing her away, so either way, she’s a part of this family.”

The crowd laughed at Rich’s joke, and Rob only shook his head in return.

“What do you say we get this weekend started?” Rich continued, now moving the focus back to the reason why everyone was here. You had to admit, you were impressed with how easily he was able to address the impromptu wedding that apparently had everyone pretty worked up, and then shift the attention back to the con. Any nervousness you may have been feeling quickly dissipated. You knew that finally, things were going to be okay. You were happy and you didn’t have to worry too much about any hate coming your way over all of this.

You relaxed in your seat, checking on Jackson who was remaining calm despite all the noise. You smiled at him, brushing your hand across his soft hair. Everything was complete. Now, you could enjoy the weekend with your husband and your friends without any worries.


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rob and Reader attend their reception and get a little frisky.

The rest of Vegas Con had gone well. You had managed to be able to spend some time enjoying the panels, Jackson feeling as content as ever most of the time. Throughout Rob’s busy work schedule, you also managed to find time to spend together. Although the green room had always served as your safe haven at any convention, this time, you decided that a little wandering wouldn’t hurt. You hadn’t been able to actually see any of the cons the entire time you and Rob had been together. Nashville had been a whirlwind in which you spent most of your time getting to know Rob and getting caught up in your love affair. After Chicago, your entire view on wandering the conventions alone had been ruined by the incident with Chris. Even though he had been caught and jailed during that con, you hadn’t exactly felt one hundred percent safe since. You were always in the green room. There, at least you were safe.

On the third day of the con, one of the busier days, you decided that the green room had become too stifling. You enjoyed spending time with Rob and your friends there, but you also knew that there was so much more to see. 

After talking with Rob about taking Jackson to check out the con, to which he agreed as long as you were accompanied by a handler, you packed Jackson up in the baby carrier and made your way to the vendor room.

The hallways were a lot more packed than you remembered they had been at past conventions, but you happily weaved your way through fans in order to see what else these cons had to offer. The vendor room was large and filled with tables adorned with various fan art, t-shirts, and memorabilia. Just as Nashville had been. Your handler kept close to your side, watching you almost hawk-like as you mindlessly wandered throughout the room.

You had stopped suddenly at the Louden Swain booth to chat with the ladies who were selling their merch. You knew them a bit, as you had met them a few times before. You stood there, talking about nothing in particular, the ladies oohing and ahhing over Jackson as you showed him off.

“You’re her, aren’t you?” You heard a voice ask from behind you. You turned to be greeted by a few girls who were obviously there for the convention, as they were sporting different Supernatural related shirts and con badges. Normally, the attention and recognition of who you were would cause you to lapse into a state of panic, but right now, you didn’t feel threatened for once.

“I’m who?” You asked with a smile.

“You’re Y/N,” one of the girls stated, “you’re the one who married Rob.”

For a split second, you did feel slightly panicked when you wondered if these fans were the type who did not approve of the wives of their favorite celebrities. But, you decided to play it cool to see if you were wrong about them.

“Uh, yeah I am.”

“Wow, it’s so great to meet you,” one of the girls beamed, “I know your music. You’ve written a lot of great songs.”

“Oh, a country fan?” You asked. It wasn’t usual to run into fans of country music at these things.

“Yeah, I’m from Tennessee, grew up on country.”

“Well, hello to my fellow Tennessean,” you said as you smiled at her.

“I was actually at your show in L.A. I heard you were doing the whole singing thing now, so I had to make the trip to see you.”

“Oh, wow, really?” You asked, “thank you, that’s really sweet of you.”

“Yeah, I mean, you’re one of my favorite songwriters, so I had to support you.”

“Well, that’s the sweetest thing I’ve heard from anyone.”

“I have to ask though… You were supposed to be doing that show to promote yourself as an artist, and you did amazing by the way… but then you just sort of, stopped.”

“Oh, yeah,” you mumbled, “I guess sometimes life gets in the way of life.” You glanced down to Jackson, recalling the extremely emotional and difficult time you had had when you found out you were pregnant with him. Truthfully, that entire situation had derailed your professional plans, but looking back, you wouldn’t change it for the world.

“You found out you were pregnant after huh?”

“Actually, I found out before that show. After I did the show, my focus just… shifted. I had more important things to think of.”

“Well, family is the most important thing.”

“It sure is.”

“Well, we just wanted to tell you congratulations. We’ve been going to these conventions for years, and Rob seems to be happier now than he has been in a long time.”

“Thank you, he makes me very happy too.”

“And your son is adorable.”

“Ah, that’s because he looks just like his daddy,” you chuckled.

“Can we get a picture with you?” One of the girls asked quickly. It caught you off guard. Never have you ever been asked to take pictures with fans, hell, you didn’t really think you actually had real fans.

“Oh, um, sure,” you stuttered, touched by the fact that they recognized you as someone they looked up to rather than just as Rob’s wife. “Just, please don’t get Jackson in the picture.”

“Of course,” the girl smiled as they moved alongside you for a pose. Your handler, who had been watching uncomfortably the entire time, made a movement toward you as if he were going to get you out of this situation. You glared at him, discouraging him from ruining this moment for anyone.

After the picture was taken and you approved of it, the girls congratulated you again and headed off. It was rather quick and painless really, not how you imagined run ins with fans to go.

When Jackson became fussy after some time in the vendor room, you left the room, your handler still hot on your heels. The events exploring the convention had been pretty unexciting and you were sure that had a lot to do with having a babysitter all morning. You had thought about ditching him at one point, but decided against it when you remembered how poorly things had gone the last time you had gone against Rob’s wishes on wandering alone. You sighed heavily as you made your way back to the green room. At least it was time for lunch and you knew Rob would be back soon.

* * *

“I think I’m ready,” you said as you picked at the food on your plate. Rob looked up at you, curious as to what you were talking about.

“Ready for what?” He asked before taking a bite of his food.

“I’m ready to get back to work.”

“Oh?” Rob’s eyes studied you.

“Yeah, I mean, I basically have a complete album, I just need to finish recording.”

Rob smiled at you. He reached out across the table, taking your hand in his. “I think that’s fantastic, Y/N.”

“Really? You don’t think I need to stay at home with the baby?”

“I think you need to do what you set out to do. Having a family shouldn’t derail your plans, it should encourage you to do what you love.”

“This means that there will be long days where I’m not home, or I get home late.”

“Okay,” he answered simply.

“You’ll be pulling lots of dad time with Jackson.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Rob gave you a sweet smile.

“Thank you,” you said softly.

“For?”

“Supporting me.”

“I believe in you,” Rob smiled. He squeezed your hand that he was still holding.

“Will you record ‘ _Pushin Time_ ’ with me?” You asked. You weren’t sure why you were nervous to ask him, but you really wanted him to record it with you. In the end, the song really did encompass your entire relationship.

“Really? You want me on your album?”

“Of course I do. Couldn’t do the song without you, and I really want that song on it.”

“I’d be honored to record it with you.”

You offered Rob a cheesy grin, pleased that he was willing. The two of you finished your lunch, enjoying each other’s company as Kim and Ruth played with Jackson on the other side of the room.

You glanced over occasionally, your heart feeling as if it would burst from how happy you were. Not only were you officially married to Rob, but you had a beautiful son and a family who loved and cared for all three of you. To top it off, you had Rob’s blessing to get your career back on track, even if that meant spending a lot of time away from home. The two of you had gone through hell together, and you finally felt content to know that no matter what life threw at you; you could make it through.

* * *

> **2 months later**

Despite having already been married for two months, the reception that had been planned to follow your actual wedding date remained on. You and Rob had quickly informed everyone that there would be no wedding in April, simply because you had eloped in Vegas already. This news was exciting to some, a bit of a letdown to others; including Rob’s family who had not been able to be a part of the excitement of Vegas. Rob’s mother let it slide after a while when you promised her that you would still go through with the reception.

It was a small peace offering really, and it took some time for her to no longer be upset over your sudden marriage that didn’t include family. As long as she was able to be a part of the reception, she seemed happy. She seemed to be becoming more and more used to you and Rob’s unconventional relationship and decided that as long as her son was happy, she was too.

The reception had been lovely; your friends who had been there for the wedding attended, along with those who couldn’t be in on the spur-of-the-moment event. Rob’s family all showed up along with your close friends that consisted of your manager and some others from the business that you had been close to over the years.

While you had originally thought that even doing the reception was a waste, you had to admit that it was nice to have everyone together to celebrate you and Rob.

“How is my wife doing?” You heard Rob’s voice come from behind you as you stood at the refreshment table. You turned to him, smiling.

“I’m doing well, husband,” you giggled, still excited to be able to call him that even two months after your wedding.

“Have you seen our son?”

“I believe he has been whisked away by your sister and is currently making the rounds visiting everyone,” you scanned the space, wondering who really had him at this point.

“I have a feeling we won’t be seeing much of him today,” Rob chuckled. You frowned, suddenly sad that Jackson wasn’t with you. It was still very difficult to be away from him.

“Thanks, now I miss my baby,” you pouted.

Rob moved closer to you, wrapping his arms around your waist as he leaned down to kiss you.

“Enjoy the moment,” he replied when the kiss ended, “after tonight is over, we’re back to it just being the three of us and back to being interrupted.”

You threw your arms around his neck, pulling him in again for another kiss.

“What are you suggesting, Benedict?” you asked slyly.

Rob raised a brow at you, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

“I’m suggesting that we sneak off to one of the rooms in the house and fool around.”

“It’s not our house,” you replied, blushing slightly at his proposal.

“That’s what makes it exciting,” he said as he grabbed your hand, leading you toward the house.

You laughed, but followed him as he led you inside. It might be a bit risqué, but the man certainly knew how to keep things interesting.

* * *

Once inside, you both agreed on sneaking off to a guest room. The entire house was empty since everyone had gathered outside to mingle at the party. Still, you chose a room at the far end of the house to avoid getting caught. You giggled as Rob pulled you into the room, closing the door behind you before he immediately pounced on you. He pushed you down onto the bed and pulled the bottom of your dress up before he laid on top of you. You could feel the hardness in his pants as he moved against you, causing you to gasp.

“Rob, are we going to do this or what?” you panted, desperately working at removing his shirt.

“Yeah,” he replied breathless, “but we don’t want to get caught, gotta do it quick.”

He crashes his lips into yours, tongue delving into your mouth as he tasted you. You moaned against his mouth, excited now as he continued to grind into you.

“You locked the door, right?” you asked suddenly, glancing over nervously at the bedroom door.

“Yeah, of course,” he replied. He stood up swiftly, reaching down to remove your underwear. He promptly removed his pants and boxers, kicking his shoes off as he tried to scramble out of his clothes.

You knew you wouldn’t get caught fooling around, the door was locked after all; but the idea of having to do this quickly to avoid getting caught was exciting. You reached for him when he finally got out of some of his clothing, pulling him back on top of you. He kissed you again and you could feel his hand move between your legs, his fingers teasing at your entrance. You moaned out loud, prompting him to press his mouth harder against yours to stifle the sound. When he pulled back, he gave you a disapproving look.

“Keep making sounds like that, someone will hear,” he warned. He continued to work his fingers into you until he decided that you were ready for him. Everything was happening so quickly, you couldn’t catch your breath. You gasped as he suddenly pushed himself into you. He groaned quietly against your ear as he pressed his hands down on the bed on either side of your head. Before you could even prepare yourself, he was rocking his hips into you. You grasped onto him, closing your eyes as you enjoyed the feeling of him. You must have been making a lot of noise, because he kept his lips on yours, pressing his mouth harder on yours, his tongue exploring your mouth as he thrust into you repeatedly. All you could do was moan into his mouth, unable to stop yourself.

You enjoyed the lovemaking the two of you normally did, but for some reason, this quickie was very exciting. The idea of messing around in someone else’s room while your friends were outside for your own wedding reception had you on edge. You pulled your mouth from Rob’s when you felt like you couldn’t breathe any more. You watched him, gasping as quietly as you could with each push of his hips against yours.

“Quiet, baby,” he said as he continued to move.

Just as you could feel your release building up, Rob’s movements became frantic. He moved faster and harder against you, causing you to want to cry out. Instead, you grabbed the back of Rob’s head, pulling him down so that you could kiss him and hopefully stifle your sounds.

You were closer now and you moaned into his mouth, probably louder than you should have. Just as you were sure you were about to be pushed over the edge, you heard a distinct knock coming from the other side of the bedroom door. Rob stilled himself immediately; both you panting as quietly as you could against each other’s mouths.

“Bob-o, you in there?” You heard Rich’s voice ask curiously from the other side.

“Jesus Christ,” Rob whispered, still trying to steady his breathing. You figured you’d both try to remain quiet, hope that Rich would just go away when no one answered.

“Okay, I know you’re both in there,” Rich continued, “this is awkward, but everyone is ready to give toasts and all that stuff.”

“Oh my god!” Rob shouted, “can you just give us a few minutes!?”

You heard Rich chuckle, “really? Just a few minutes?”

“Go away! We’ll be out in a bit!” You laughed as Rob yelled at Rich, obviously irritated that you had been interrupted.

“Okay, have fun, don’t ruin the sheets.”

You both waited for a moment, listening for sounds on the other side of the door.

“Do you think he’s gone?” You breathed out.

“Fuck it,” Rob replied, moving against you again, “let him listen if he really wants to.”

You grinned, feeling really turned on at this spur-of-the-moment, risqué version of Rob. This time, you didn’t hold back as he continued to fuck you. Although he still tried to keep you quiet by kissing you, you moaned and swore as your climax built up again. When it finally broke, you threw your head back, gripping into the comforter as you came. You were sure you had screamed his name, swearing out loud at how amazing this felt right now. You half expected him to scold you, but he came not long after you; swearing and grunting against your neck.

Once the two of you had steadied yourselves, breathing returning to normal, he stood up and dressed quickly. You did the same, body still shaking as you came down from your high.

“That was so fucking hot,” you purred as you wrapped your arms around his waist, nuzzling into his neck as you dropped soft kisses against his skin.

“Even if we did get caught?” He laughed.

“Oh yeah, that was exciting,” you grinned when you pulled away from him and headed for the door.

“Everyone’s gonna be able to tell that we just did it,” he said. He was right. You were both a mess; clothing wrinkled, hair disheveled; but you didn’t care.

“Good,” you said as you shot him a wink, “let them know that we can’t get enough of each other.”

* * *

The rest of the night, you and Rob exchanged sly glances; still very much excited over the impromptu quickie that you had had during your reception. You were certain that everyone was aware of the reason why you had disappeared, and you were also certain that Rich was much more aware than anyone else. While you expected him to tease you about it all night, the man avoided eye contact most of the night, obviously a bit embarrassed over having heard you and Rob.

Regardless, the reception had gone on as they usually do. Some friends and family took the time to give small speeches about the two of you. Some were emotional, pointing out the difficult things you had gone through to get where you were today. Others were fun and filled with stories that made everyone laugh.

You realized now just how lucky you were. It had been evident to you since your wedding, but hearing all of these people share their favorite stories about you and Rob only made you feel more welcome. You stared at Rob adoringly, still asking yourself how you had managed to keep him after everything that you had put him through. You looked over at Jackson, who was now being held by Jensen’s wife, Daneel. He had certainly been introduced to the entire extended family today and it warmed your heart to know that he was going to have something that you never had as a child.

You were broken from your thoughts as Rob stood up to say a few words.

“We just want to say again how grateful we are to have all of you in our lives,” he began, “my family who has welcomed Y/N into their lives, friends who have become her friends… if it weren’t for all of you, I don’t know that we would have made it through some of those tough times that tested our relationship. Honestly, it’s because of so many of you that we are here today; married, parents to an amazing little boy, and generally still kicking.”

There were a few soft chuckles, everyone knowing that what he was saying was accurate.

“So, thank you all. I especially want to thank my extended Supernatural family for always interfering, thank you for offering advice and shoulders to cry on during the tough times, thank you for being aunts and uncles to Jackson, thank you for accepting Y/N into your lives just as much as I have, and thank you for being a family to my little family.”

The last few words came out quietly as he tried not to choke up. Rob raised his glass of champagne, everyone following suit. His words were simple really, but they meant a lot to not only you, but your friends. You smiled warmly at Rob as he returned to his seat, taking his hand in yours and squeezing it tightly.

“As the best man, I have something to say.” You and Rob turned your attention to Rich who was now standing, ready to give his toast. Rob bit his lip, unsure if it was a good idea to let the man speak after what he had just heard in the house.

“I’ve watched these two go through it all,” he continued, “I watched them meet, fall in love, and go through the devastation of a breakup. I can say, with confidence, that these two have been through hell, but they always come out on the other side; just as in love as they were in the beginning, and stronger. I took Y/N to the hospital when she was pregnant and sick, I talked her down when she was panicked over Rob proposing to her. I watched Rob get his heart broken, and spend a good amount of time reminding him why he shouldn’t give up on this one. I don’t think their relationship makes a lot of sense to most people, but I know for a fact that it is the only relationship that makes sense for these two. Despite all the hard times, which unfortunately overshadowed all the good, they have finally found each other again. And they have brought a handsome little man into this world, who, by the way, is named after me.”

Rob groaned, rolling his eyes as you laughed at Rich’s words.

“What I’m trying to say, is that their relationship may not have been perfect in the beginning, but they are perfect for each other.” Rich turned to look at you and Rob, raising his glass to toast you. “Here’s to real love. Love that doesn’t come easy, love that seems impossible at first, love that gets to where it needs to be eventually.”

You smiled at Rich, raising your own glass as everyone did the same. His words were truly touching, and you knew you had made a good choice in confiding in him all those times.

“Also, they just did it in my guest room, so I guess it’s safe to say that they’re still pretty crazy about each other,” Rich added as he shot you a wink before downing his champagne in one go. You could feel your face turn red as you tried to hide it by pressing into Rob’s chest. You still couldn’t help but laugh as Rob shook his head at his friend. Most of the party laughed at Rich’s little addition to his speech, and you knew that it was all in good fun. After all, you were pretty certain everyone could tell anyway.

* * *

At the end of the night, you had finally found Jackson again; this time, sleeping in the arms of Misha. You collected your sleeping baby, giving Misha a kiss on the cheek as he and his family headed out now that the party was over. You were exhausted after having said goodbye to everyone, and you searched for Rob so that you could also head home. When you found him, he was saying goodnight to Rich and Jaci, thanking them for holding the reception at their home. You blushed again when you remembered how you and Rob had messed around in their guest room. Rich didn’t seem to mind as he pulled you in for a hug, careful not to squish Jackson who was snuggled against you, still fast asleep.

“You crazy kids have a good night,” Rich chuckled, waving at you as you and Rob started toward the car.

“We did and we will,” Rob replied. He put his arm around you as you walked.

“Yeah, I’ll send you the bill for that,” Rich said.

“I’m sorry!” you called out to him, still a bit embarrassed that you had actually done that.

“Don’t be,” he replied, “it’s good to know my friends have a healthy sex life.”

“Dammit, Rich.” Rob mumbled, picking up his pace as if he were trying to leave quicker.

You only laughed at Rob’s own embarrassment, waving to Rich and Jaci as you left the backyard.

* * *

Rob drove home; Jackson sleeping soundly in his car seat, you, watching Rob fondly as he focused on the road. You really were lucky. You recalled how you and Rob had discussed luck and fate once before. You hadn’t been too keen on the idea of either of those back then, not like Rob had been. Right now though, you knew that it had definitely been fate that kept you two together after all this time and luck also had a lot to do with it. You leaned in suddenly, reaching over to kiss him on the cheek as he drove.

“What was that for?” he asked, glancing over at you briefly.

“Just because I’m madly in love with you and I want to never stop kissing you,” you replied. You reached out a hand, brushing your fingertips along the spot that you had just kissed.

Rob grinned at your words, looking over at you quickly, those blue eyes sparkling.

“I love you too, Y/N. When we get home, I’m going to kiss you all night long.”

“When will we sleep!” you exclaimed dramatically, giggling at the thought of making out with your husband all night long. You weren’t sure why, but tonight; Rob had you feeling like a teenager in love for the first time.

“We’ll sleep in tomorrow,” he replied, “we have all the time in the world to do anything we want.”


End file.
